The man accused of murdering policewoman Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming in Nelson in the early hours of New Year’s Day has denied the charge but has admitted two driving charges laid in the wake of her death.
Fleming was injured alongside her colleague, Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay, and another officer when a car was rammed into her and a police car. Two members of the public were also injured.
The 62-year-old succumbed to her injuries in hospital that day, surrounded by her family, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said at the time.
The 32-year-old charged with offences linked to her death appeared dishevelled as he walked slowly to the dock to enter pleas in the High Court in Blenheim today, due to the sudden closure of the courthouse in Nelson.
Family members of Fleming gathered at the back of the court while others listened remotely via a video link.
Disappointment could be heard among those in the court as the defendant entered not guilty pleas to the most serious charges.
He entered not guilty pleas to charges of murder plus other charges including attempted murder of Adam Ramsay, causing grievous bodily harm to Ramsay with reckless disregard for his safety as an alternative charge and three charges of driving a motor vehicle on a road in a manner that was dangerous to the public.
He pleaded guilty and was convicted on charges of drink driving and driving while disqualified.
The accused still can’t be named due to ongoing suppression orders linked to the failure of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to remove prior articles, despite a take-down order.
Crown prosecutor Mark O’Donoghue said continued suppression was contrary to the public interest, but the court was bound to continue it until the order had been complied with.
“X seems to be acting above the law of New Zealand and it’s preventing the defendant’s name from being published which is contrary to the public interest,” O’Donoghue said.
He said every effort had been made to get the name removed from the social media site.
Justice Dale La Hood said his experience of similar overseas-located social media organisations was that it was difficult to get traction with them and it was “high time” an appropriate response was worked out in terms of how to respond.
He said there was no jurisdiction to enforce such refusal to comply, other than police involvement, otherwise, another hearing might be needed on what can be done including exploring if it might be contempt of the court process.
Fleming and her colleagues had been doing foot patrols in central Nelson when they were allegedly set upon with the vehicle in Buxton Square about 2.10am.
The accused was arrested soon after and made an initial brief appearance in the Nelson District Court on January 3 when he was remanded in custody.
He will remain there, and will not be applying for bail until his trial set provisionally for May next year.
Fleming was the first policewoman to be killed in the line of duty in New Zealand. She was also the first police officer to be killed while on duty in Nelson, Chambers said.
She was farewelled last month at a large ceremony in Nelson attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The service followed a community candlelight vigil in Nelson attended by thousands.
