Jack Hargreaves’ brother and flatmate were trying to get into his bedroom when he fired three shotgun rounds through the door they were standing in front of.<\/p>\n
A short time later, after the terrified flatmate had fled the Hamilton home, Hargreaves spotted his older brother Joshua lying injured on the ground outside.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old rolled his brother over, heard him groan, and then walked off. He didn’t even call 111.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday Hargreaves appeared in the High Court at Hamilton, where he pleaded guilty to Joshua’s murder, along with charges of discharging a firearm with reckless disregard at his flatmate, unlawfully carrying a firearm, armed robbery of a Suzuki Swift, and failing to stop for police on Great South Road.<\/p>\n
Justice Kiri Tahana convicted Hargreaves on all charges and remanded him in custody for sentencing on 31 March.<\/p>\n
The lengthy summary of facts details what happened on the night of 9 July last year.<\/p>\n
Joshua Hargreaves had lived at the Belmont Avenue property in Chartwell for a number of years before his friend moved in January last year.<\/p>\n
Jack Hargreaves moved into the house the following month.<\/p>\n
However, within a few months, the relationship between the brothers began to deteriorate, more so when Jack suffered an injury, which meant he was unable to work.<\/p>\n
He was instead regularly at home as his brother and flatmate went to work.<\/p>\n
Jack regularly began going into his brother’s bedroom and stealing his marijuana despite the plant being kept in a locked safe.<\/p>\n
While living at the house, the flatmate unlawfully stored three firearms in the wardrobe of his bedroom: a 13-inch pump-action shotgun, a Dill black powder shotgun and a Ruger 10-22 rifle with a silencer and scope.<\/p>\n
The two shotguns were kept in a hard case that had four locks on it, and the keys were kept on a green lanyard together with his car keys.<\/p>\n
The Ruger was also secured with a padlock in a case and kept on the same lanyard that was often left in his bedroom.<\/p>\n
The flatmate had shown the brothers the firearms on a number of occasions.<\/p>\n
Before the shooting, the flatmate and the victim had become concerned about Jack’s behaviour.<\/p>\n
Court documents state he had been “acting strangely” and there was some tension in the house.<\/p>\n
After a discussion with Joshua, the flatmate moved his firearms from his bedroom.<\/p>\n
On 9 July, at 6.30pm, the flatmate took both gun cases from his bedroom but noticed the grey case felt light, and opened it to find it empty.<\/p>\n
Both shotguns were missing.<\/p>\n
The flatmate immediately told Joshua, and the pair confronted Jack in the doorway of his bedroom about where the firearms were.<\/p>\n
The confrontation became heated.<\/p>\n
An argument broke out, and the flatmate suggested to Jack that the pair go outside, saying “Come on then, one outs?”<\/p>\n
Jack ultimately told the flatmate to “give him an hour to try and look for” the firearms, to which he initially agreed.<\/p>\n
However, after five or 10 minutes, the flatmate asked him why he needed an hour and told him he wanted to search his bedroom.<\/p>\n
Jack shut his bedroom door and barricaded it with a small TV cabinet, telling the flatmate, “You’re not coming in here”.<\/p>\n
Joshua began trying to push open the defendant’s door, but was unable to.<\/p>\n
As Joshua stood trying to open the door, Jack fired the Dickinson 13-inch pump-action shotgun three times, one after another.<\/p>\n
Joshua was shot in the upper chest as the flatmate ran from the house.<\/p>\n
The flatmate could hear Joshua groaning in agony. He didn’t want to leave him, but was too scared to go back.<\/p>\n
He was certain Jack would shoot him, given he’d just shot his own brother.<\/p>\n
Instead, he ran to a neighbour’s property, but still didn’t feel safe so he ran out on to the street and down Belmont Avenue on foot.<\/p>\n
As he was running in a local park, he rang 111.<\/p>\n
As he spoke to the operator, he noticed Jack walking towards him.<\/p>\n
Jack said, “hey bro” in a taunting manner from about 100m away.<\/p>\n
Unbeknown to the flatmate, Jack was carrying the shotgun.<\/p>\n
The flatmate ran down an alleyway on to the footpath of Bankwood Road and screamed for help.<\/p>\n
A short time later, an emergency call was made by an associate of Jack, and he was told that Jack had just killed his brother.<\/p>\n
A second associate then also called 111 and told them Jack had shot his brother through the door and was running from police.<\/p>\n
Jack wanted to kill himself and was going to get rid of his phone.<\/p>\n
Police arrived at the house about 7pm. The front door was open, and the shotgun was on Jack’s bed.<\/p>\n
Joshua was found dead out the back of the house.<\/p>\n
By 12.20am, Jack was hitch-hiking on Gordonton Road.<\/p>\n
A motorist spotted Jack with his thumb out, and because it was raining, he decided to turn around and offer him a ride.<\/p>\n
Pulling over, he asked him if he was “all good?” and Jack replied that he was going to Rototuna.<\/p>\n
He then approached the driver and pointed the shotgun at his face.<\/p>\n
With it approximately 30cm from the victim’s face, Jack said, “Get out of the car or die”.<\/p>\n
“I will let you live, I just want the car.”<\/p>\n
The two occupants got out of the car and walked away, as Jack told them to call police and tell them their car had been stolen.<\/p>\n
They called police, and soon afterwards, the Suzuki Swift was spotted by officers on Great South Road heading toward Ng\u0101ruaw\u0101hia.<\/p>\n
Police activated their flashing lights, but Jack sped off.<\/p>\n
Road spikes were eventually laid, and he was arrested.<\/p>\n
Jack was co-operative and assisted police with their questions and admitted to taking the two shotguns.<\/p>\n
He said he was confronted about the guns and lied to the victims, saying he didn’t have them, before going into his room and barricading himself in.<\/p>\n
He admitted firing three shots through the door when his brother and flatmate were trying to open it.<\/p>\n
He said he didn’t specifically know who was on the other side of the door when he fired the shots.<\/p>\n
After moving through the house with the shotgun, he spotted his brother lying on the ground.<\/p>\n
He rolled him over and heard him groan in response.<\/p>\n
He left him there and didn’t call 111.<\/p>\n