Post-quake digger assault alleged

An excavator. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Digger driver Craig Ronald Cooper has been charged with assaulting a man using his excavator as a weapon during Christchurch's earthquake recovery work.

Police allege the assault took place on September 15, 11 days after the early morning shake, while work was going on near the corner of Manchester and Worcester streets, where major buildings had been damaged.

Cooper, 46, is alleged to have become aggressive after being approached by an engineer on a site near where he was working on the Westende Jewellery premises.

The engineer complained that vibrations from the excavator were widening cracks in the 135-year-old Trinity Congregation Church building across the road. The church has been converted into the Octagon restaurant.

Engineer Jade Kirk complained of being struck by the bucket of the digger while he was phoning the driver's supervisor to try to get him to stop work. He said he was then forced down as the bucket was brought down on top of him.

Duty solicitor Shannon-Leigh Litt told the Christchurch District Court this afternoon that Cooper was still working full time on demolition work.

She asked Judge Gary MacAskill for him to be remanded on bail to a post-committal conference on November 26.

Police prosecutor Bronwen Skea said the police did not oppose Cooper's release on bail but she asked for conditions that he reside at his Springston home, and not contact the alleged victim or a list of witnesses.

These conditions were then imposed by the judge.

- NZPA