Three men allegedly involved in the bottle store burglary that ended with one man dead have been informed they are not wanted at the funeral.
The men appeared in the Dunedin District Court by audio visual link yesterday, withdrawing their application for compassionate bail to attend their associate’s funeral after the victim’s family expressed their desire for the men to remain in prison.
Michael McClelland died at the scene of a car crash after allegedly helping to break into the Bottle-O, next to Bathgate Park, in Hillside Rd.
They are accused of fleeing the scene before crashing into a power pole in Melbourne St.
A spokeswoman said police were called to the liquor store on May 27 at about 1.25am.
A short time later officers found the vehicle and attempted to stop it.
However, the driver refused to stop.
Less than a minute later, the driver lost control of the car at high speed and skidded about 50m down the street before the fatal crash.
In court, two of the men presented with visible injuries; one with his hand in a cast and the other with wounds to his face.
Counsel John Westgate delivered the news to his clients, informing them he would not be pursuing the application as the dead man’s family were first priority in these matters — and they did not want the men to attend the funeral.
He informed the men the funeral would be live-streamed and they may be able to watch it from prison.
The four defendants, who have name suppression, are due to appear in court again later this month.
