The man sought to represent himself but didn’t understand what was happening during the hearing
A man charged with breaking into the Murupara Police Station fired his lawyer during a proceeding in Rotorua District Court, reported the NZ Herald.
Galatea retailer Mark Howard Christiansen was appearing on charges of burglary with a weapon, intentional damage and threatening grievous bodily harm. Per charging documents, on 26 March he reportedly entered the police station on Pine Drive armed with an axe, without authority and with intent to commit an imprisonable offence in the building.
He allegedly caused damage to the building’s doors and threatened a man in Thames with grievous bodily harm.
Christiansen seemed surprised to see his lawyer, Andy Schulze, in court and cut Schulze off when he was about to speak on Christiansen’s behalf.
“I’ve tried to fire you twice and you keep turning up in court”, Christiansen said in a statement published by the Herald.
Schulze told the court he did not know he had been fired. Judge Anna Skellern defended Schulze, saying that the lawyer didn’t know he had been terminated as Christiansen’s legal representation because “he’s not in the habit of turning up when he doesn’t need to”, per a statement published by the Herald.
Schulze was given leave to withdraw as Christiansen’s lawyer, and Christiansen declared that he would represent himself. After Crown prosecutor Anna McConachy informed Skellern of legal points regarding an upcoming proceeding for the case, Skellern asked Christiansen if he understood what McConachy said. Christiansen said he did not.
“Oh right, see that’s going to be the problem for you”, Skellern said in a statement published by the Herald.
Christiansen pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The judge remanded him in custody until his next court date on 5 December.
Bearing an axe as a weapon could result in a 14-year jail sentence.
