Teenager in spinal unit after police shooting

A teenager shot by police at Waihi in January after allegedly firing at officers is now under long-term treatment in Auckland's Otara spinal unit.

James Samuels, 19, failed to appear when his name was called in Tauranga District Court today for a pre-depositions hearing on 10 charges, including attempted murder.

Lawyer Tony Balme told Judge Thomas Ingram the defendant could be confined to the spinal unit for 12 months.

Samuels had been flown to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition after being hit in the abdomen by a single shot, following a dramatic police chase through the Bay of Plenty on January 21. He was charged at a special bedside court session on February 1.

Mr Balme said Samuels was now on bail by consent, with a round-the-clock curfew at the Otara unit.

A depositions date has yet to be set. Samuels faces attempted murder, burglary, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, and seven charges of using a firearm against police.

His girlfriend and co-accused, Yana Poata, 18, is charged jointly on all but the attempted murder count.

Poata was currently a serving prisoner, Mr Balme told the court.

She was sentenced on February 19 to a total of five months in prison on charges unrelated to the Waihi incident, in which she was allegedly the driver of a stolen van police followed from Ngongotaha near Rotorua through Tauranga and Katikati to Waihi.

Judge Ingram and counsel today discussed what to do about depositions.

It might be necessary to go to the Otara spinal unit if Samuels' attendance was required, the judge said.

The judge remanded Poata in custody and Samuels on bail under existing conditions until another pre-depositions hearing on May 9.

- NZPA