Marshall assault accused pleads not guilty

Justin Marshall
Justin Marshall
One of two men accused of attacking an ex-All Black in Queenstown has pleaded not guilty - while the other has signalled he'll admit it.

Christchurch's Adam David Kearns, 23, and Tai Samuel Neilson, 25, are charged with assaulting Justin Marshall with intent to injure him. 

The attack is alleged to have happened on Shotover Street, Queenstown, on Good Friday. 

Kearns has pleaded not guilty and elected a trial by jury in Invercargill. No date has been set for the trial. A case review hearing is scheduled for July 14 in Queenstown. 

Neilson has given the courts an intimated guilty plea. He'll appear before a judge in Christchurch on June 9. 

Both men were due to appear in Queenstown District Court yesterday but their cases were adjourned to the new dates and they remain on bail. 

Kearns - son of the so-called ‘Black Widow' convicted killer Helen Milner who was found guilty of murdering her husband - told Radio New Zealand last month that he'd punched Marshall, an 81-Test halfback and Sky Sports commentator, but said Marshall had hit him first. 

Marshall told Mountain Scene at the time it wasn't his fault and he was simply a victim. - Mountain Scene

 

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