Trial aborted in motorist shooting case

The High Court trial of a Rotorua man accused of attempting to murder a motorist following a minor traffic incident was aborted today.

Richard Marsters, 50, is accused of shooting the other man in the face and arm with a pistol during a scuffle in central Rotorua on the night of November 13, 2008.

On the fifth day of the trial in Hamilton, Justice Ailsa Duffy told the jury the trial could not proceed. She could not give detailed reasons because she had to ensure nothing she said "has the potential to affect Mr Marsters' right to a fair trial in the future".

Marsters, 50, told the court yesterday he was not in the city at the time of the alleged offence.

The complainant, whose details are suppressed, earlier told the court that during the struggle shots were fired but he wasn't aware he had been shot.

- NZPA