The Canterbury drilling company operator on trial this week over the alleged kidnapping and assault over diesel thieves has had 10 of the 18 charges against him dropped.
David Clemence has pleased not guilty to the charges – which included threatening to kill, assault and assault with a weapon. It was alleged the thieves, Matthew Pender-McLean and Carl Clark, were beaten, interrogated, blindfolded and thrown into a river after being caught in the act in 2011.
Clemence is now facing just eight charges – of kidnapping and assault – for his alleged involvement. Judge Gary MacAskill told the jury that changes would bring the issue they had to consider to a manageable level – and was an attempt to simplify processing’s.
Judge Gary MacAskill told the jury the lowered indictment would bring the issues they had to consider to a “manageable” level.
The Crown has argued Clemence asked his employees to lie in wait for the thieves and was, as a result, party to a series of assaults that allegedly took place before he arrived at the scene.
They also allege Clemence took control of the scene once there and ordered his staff to tie up the victims, evicted and punched them, and oversaw their kidnap and throwing in the river in an attempt to “terrorise information” out of them.
The Crown says in some cases a citizens arrest is allowed, but this was beyond the limits.
Earlier in the week, DieselTALK reported that Clemence’s defence team claimed the victims had made up the story.
Summing up of the case is expected this afternoon.
