Third person charged in connection with Canterbury lake murder appears in court

A man charged in connection with the alleged murder of Marcus Luke Tucker whose badly bashed body was found burned and dumped by a Canterbury lake is also facing drug smuggling charges, it can be revealed today.

Anthony Richard Dawson, a 28-year-old harvest manager from Leeston, first appeared at Christchurch District Court at the weekend charged that on April 24, at Leeston, knowing that a murder had been committed, he helped the murder accused by actively suppressing evidence to help him avoid arrest.

The maximum penalty for the charges is seven years' imprisonment.

Now, it's been revealed that Dawson is also facing serious drug importation charges.
The charges include allegations of importing the class A controlled drug methamphetamine at Auckland International Airport on or before January 17 this year.

It's also alleged that on or before March 22 this year, at Auckland International Airport, Dawson imported the Class B controlled drug, namely, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy.

And on or before March 7 this year at Auckland International Airport, Dawson is accused of importing the Class B controlled drug, namely the party drug Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL).

He first appeared in court on April 20.

Peter John Carroll, 51, of Bishopdale, Christchurch appeared in court last week charged with the April 24 murder of Tucker.

Carroll was remanded in custody to next appear in the High Court at Christchurch on May 20.

A 31-year-old woman, with interim name suppression, has been charged with conspiring with Carroll to assault Tucker and also with being an accessory after the fact to murder. She has also been remanded to May 20.

Today, Dawson appeared from custody at Christchurch District Court.

Lawyer Kiran Paima, appearing on behalf of defence counsel Tony Garrett, said "matters have moved on" since Dawson last appeared in court.

He will now be "joined up with the other two accused" on the Tucker charges.

On the suppressing evidence in the murder case, Judge Paul Kellar remanded Dawson in custody without plea to the High Court in Christchurch on May 20.

And on the drugs charges, Judge Kellar remanded him in custody to the district court on May 19.

No other applications were made today.

Dawson acknowledged a man in the public gallery before being led back into custody.

The body of Mr Tucker, 36, was found dumped near Lake Ellesmere on Drain Rd,
Doyleston on Anzac Day.

He was severely assaulted before his body was burned and then reportedly wrapped in some material, police say.