KEY POINTS:
Two men cost Solid Energy more than $1 million in lost production when a digger they were driving struck overhead power lines, Westport District Court was told today.
Benjamin Garing, 23, and Ashley McLeod, 24, both of Westport, were today committed for trial for unlawfully taking a Komatsu digger and committing intentional damage following a depositions hearing in Westport District Court today.
They entered not guilty pleas and were remanded for a pre-trial hearing in Christchurch District Court on January 16.
Solid Energy is seeking $1.3m reparation for the pair for damages.
Police told the court that the pair went to Stockton open cast mine in the early hours of June 27 after their van became stuck on a mountain road.
They took a digger, and drove it up the mountain to free their vehicle.
On their way up, the digger tore power lines, cutting power and costing $1m lost production to Solid Energy, linesmen taking 12 hours to fix the damage.
Defence lawyer Doug Taffs said the men took the digger in an act of desperation after being stuck on the mountain in atrocious weather.
They were not equipped for the condtions and it was a real emergency.
Referring to the downed powerlines, he said it was unfortunate that the episode went "pear-shaped".
But the fact the men were sheltering under a tarpaulin when discovered the next day showed the desperation of their situation, he said.
- NZPA
