Cannabis reply amuses during murder trial | New Zealand

Cannabis reply amuses during murder trial

A question over cannabis-growing led to an uncharacteristically light moment at the murder trial of Murray Foreman in Napier.

Stephen Uncles, a hunter, did not like being asked if he had been growing cannabis in the bush near the farm owned by the slain Hawke's Bay farmer Jack Nicholas. The Clive orchard worker took the stand as a witness yesterday - day seven of the trial of Foreman in the High Court in Napier. The Crown alleges that Foreman drove to Mr Nicholas' farm at the foot of the Kaweka Range on August 27, 2004, shot him about 6.30am, then drove back to his house in Haumoana.
Mr Nicholas was hit by two .308 bullets. A third missed him.

On August 26, Mr Uncles and friends Kevin Hannaray and Hayden Kawenga drove through Mr Nicholas' farm for a Kaweka Range hunting trip. They spent three nights in a hut and shot a sika deer before driving out on August 29.

Mr Uncles admitted, when cross-examined by Foreman's lawyer, Bruce Squire, QC, that he had previous convictions for cannabis cultivation, but strongly denied growing cannabis in the Kaweka Range. "My conviction for cultivation was indoors, not for growing out in the sticks," he said. "As for cultivating cannabis up there, it was the wrong time of year. I don't go up there in the summer. Do your research a bit better," he added, shaking his head.

Jurors, people in the gallery, lawyers and Justice Simon France chuckled. Even Mr Squire wore a smirk.

Mr Uncles, who did not hunt on the trip, heard about Mr Nicholas' murder when checking his mobile phone messages on Saturday afternoon.

"My phone wouldn't stop beeping. There were texts from everyone I know telling me Jack had been shot and there was a crazy person running around."

The men were stopped by police while driving back to Napier and Mr Hannaray's .308 rifle and ammunition was taken for testing.

Mr Uncles, who has known Foreman since 1999 or 2000, recalled meeting him in Haumoana some time later and discussing the killing with him.

Foreman told him he had "had a run-in with Jack 26 years ago". Mr Nicholas had waved a gun at him and a friend, accusing them of poaching.

Earlier in the day, Bay View Senior Constable Craig Skeet gave evidence. He was the first police officer to travel along Makahu Rd, leading to Mr Nicholas' farm, after the shooting.

He said signs on the gravel road indicated a vehicle had recently been travelling along it at speed.

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