A POLICE officer in charge of investigating a brutal home invasion at Ashmont will have to explain to the magistrate why he has not completed a brief of evidence if it is not ready in a month.
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Defence solicitor Daryl Wilson complained to magistrate Erin Kennedy in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday it was the third time Johnny Ngatikaura’s case had been listed for reply to the brief, but still some “significant material” was outstanding.
The court was told on March 23 further charges were expected to be laid against the 22-year-old Sydney man, but there was nothing new on Wednesday.
Ngatikaura, also known as Johnny Ngati, is charged with break and enter and commit serious indictable offence (stealing) while armed with a firearm and in company.
He is also charged with detaining two men in the Ashmont house with the intention of holding them to ransom.
Director of Public Prosecutions solicitor Abram Meredith told Ms Kennedy he had received some material from police that morning and had not had an opportunity to go through it.
He said he could not comment on Mr Wilson’s claim even more information was missing from the brief.
Mr Wilson asked Ms Kennedy to call the officer in charge of the investigation to court on the next occasion to give an explanation if the brief was not complete.
He said some of the outstanding material was critical.
“My client is in custody,” Mr Wilson said.
Ms Kennedy gave the prosecution until June 24 to get the outstanding material to Mr Wilson and adjourned the case until July 8 for Mr Wilson to reply and move the case towards a committal hearing.
She made a note requiring the officer in charge to attend court in July if the brief is not ready by then.
Ngatikaura is accused of breaking into a Timor Place house on February 25 with two other men.
Inside the house, Ngatikaura is alleged to have bashed two men, held a firearm and held the two men to ransom.
Police claim Ngatikaura broke into the house about 7am.
Ngatikaura faces separate charges laid after a police pursuit in Wagga and Bomen on March 7.
The charges include Skye’s Law (police pursuit).
It is alleged Ngatikaura led police on a chase in a blue Hyundai when officers saw him in the car and knew he was wanted. The chase ended when the Hyundai ran over road spikes.