Two men accused of murdering an undercover police officer last September were today committed to stand trial in the High Court at Auckland.
John Ward Skinner, 37, and Iain Lindsay Clegg, 35, are both charged with murdering Sergeant Don Wilkinson during a night-time police surveillance operation.
They are also charged with attempting to murder another police officer, who has name suppression.
Skinner faces a further count of assault with a weapon against a third officer, who also has name suppression.
Skinner and Clegg were committed for trial after a three-day depositions hearing in Manukau District Court.
They will appear in the High Court on April 29, when a trial date is expected to be set.
Mr Wilkinson was shot dead early on September 11 during an operation to put a tracking device on a car in the south Auckland suburb of Mangere.
Mr Wilkinson's partner, who survived after being shot three times, gave evidence about Mr Wilkinson's final moments.
In a close courtroom, with the doors locked, the windows covered up and the public excluded, he told how he, Mr Wilkinson and the third officer went to a property in Hain Ave.
Mr Wilkinson moved towards the front of the property setting off a sensor light.
After more lights came on, he and Mr Wilkinson started to run off, heading towards the adjoining Earlsworth Rd.
"We heard a loud V8 car starting up, and it started speeding up," he said.
"We ducked down a driveway, and the car passed us. It reversed and came back towards the driveway."
The witness said that, as he radioed for back-up, the driver, alleged to be Clegg, got out of the car and started to come towards him.
The officer put down a bag he was holding and approached the driver with his hand up in front his body.
When the driver asked him what he was doing, he tried to talk his way out of the situation, as he expected police reinforcements to arrive soon.
Another man, alleged to be Skinner, then appeared holding a rifle, which was aimed at the officer's chest.
"I turned my head to the left, and I felt a blow to the side of my head," he said.
"The force was enough to break my nose and cut through my eyebrow.
"I threw my hand up and I was shot through the forearm.
"I fell to the ground and I was shot again in my back.
"I then heard three quick shots at Sgt Wilkinson and a lot of groaning coming from behind me."
The witness said he got no response from Mr Wilkinson.
In other evidence, Skinner's wife, Tina Preece, said she heard shots after Skinner and Clegg went to investigate a disturbance.
She said the two men "became very excited about some guys in the driveway".
"They raised their voices and were yelling at the two people in our driveway," she said.
"They made a bit of a stir."
Ms Preece said Skinner and Clegg left the property and she heard a car start up outside.
She felt confused and ran down the street to see what was happening.
"I saw police cars and realised there was something pretty bad going on so I just went back home," she said.
"I just remember hearing shots and yelling."
She could not recall how many shots she heard.
She saw her husband and Clegg about five minutes later when they came back to the house and they both seemed agitated.
"John said somebody was trying to steal the car," she said.
"They followed them and chased them, and said they did catch up with them."
She said Skinner never gave her a proper answer when she asked what happened next.
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