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The father of an Auckland gunshop owner who shot a machete-wielding man allegedly making death threats says it could cost up to $100,000 to defend a firearms charge laid against his son.
Greg Carvell, 33, appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday charged with illegal possession of a firearm. He elected jury trial and was remanded at large to a pre-depositions hearing on February 12.
Carvell shot Ricky Beckham in the stomach with a .45 calibre pistol on July 27 after Beckham entered the Small Arms International gunshop in Penrose and allegedly threatened to kill him.
If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison and/or fines of up to $5000.
His father, Ray Carvell, also outside the court, said the Crown and police were trying to take away the fundamental right of self-defence.
He said the court case would cost a huge amount of money.
"We can't get legal aid like all these other scumbags in the country and this is what we end up with ... it's already cost $10,000 and I suppose it's gonna look like $100,000 the way it's going."
He said a trust fund had been set up for financial contributions.
Auckland University faculty of law associate professor Scott Optican said Carvell's impending trial raised two distinct issues.
"You can't confuse the two issues. One issue is about legitimate self-defence and one issue is about the means which you used to defend yourself and did you have it lawfully.
"Even though we think it was justified self-defence, it doesn't necessarily mean he hasn't violated the Arms Act in the means he used to commit self-defence, nor does it mean there's no public interest in holding him to account for it."
A small group of protesters from the Sensible Sentencing Trust gathered outside the court to support Carvell. Beckham appeared in court last month and pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault with intent to rob.
He has been remanded in custody to appear in the High Court in February.
