2 Feb 2023

Ram-raid accusations: Mother charged with shooting at police so kids could escape

7:19 pm on 2 February 2023

By Belinda Feek, Open Justice multimedia journalist of NZ Herald

Super Liquor on Sloane Street, in Te Awamutu.

Super Liquor on Sloane Street, in Te Awamutu, was allegedly one of the businesses targeted by the group. Photo: Google Maps

A mother has been charged with shooting at police as they tried to arrest her kids, who are accused of carrying out ram raids in Waikato.

The 32-year-old was charged yesterday and appeared in Hamilton District Court via audio-visual link today, facing three charges from the 19 December incident which involved ram raids in Cambridge and Te Awamutu.

Police were first called to a burglary in Duke Street, Cambridge, at 3.49am and a burglary at Super Liquor, Te Awamutu, on Sloane Street at 4.42am.

The alleged burglars' vehicle was stopped after police used road spikes near Bader St, Hamilton before a police dog team arrested four youths.

It was about this time the woman - who is jointly charged with a 28-year-old Hamilton man - is alleged to have shot at police.

Her counsel Charles Bean today failed in his attempt to get the woman bail on three charges; two of using a firearm against three police constables and wilfully attempting to pervert the course of justice by discharging a firearm at police to divert their attention away from a group of offending actively avoiding capture.

The first two charges carry a maximum of 14 years' jail, while the third carries a maximum of seven years' prison.

Judge Phillip Cooper remanded the woman in custody to reappear next month to enter pleas.

* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.