Cop shooter jailed 18 years

A man who shot an Auckland police officer four times, leaving him for dead, is to appeal his conviction and sentence, his lawyer says.

Neshanderan Rajgopaul, 29, was sentenced to 18 years' jail, with a non-parole period of 10 years, when he appeared in the High Court at Auckland today.

Rajgopaul was found guilty last month of the attempted murder of Constable Jeremy Snow in December 2009, and of eight other drugs and firearms-related offences.

His lawyer, Ron Mansfield, told NZPA outside court Rajgopaul would be appealing his conviction and sentence immediately.

"He maintains his innocence vehemently," Mr Mansfield said.

Rajgopaul - "a small time drug dealer who carried an arsenal of guns", according to the Crown - fired upon Snow after he and another officer checked a car they thought was being broken into down a long driveway in Papatoetoe, South Auckland.

The High Court at Auckland heard that Snow followed Rajgopaul into the back yard of the property after seeing a gun in the car.

Rajgopaul, high on methamphetamine, spun round, dropped to one knee and opened fire seven times, tracking the officer with bullets as he tried to flee.

Justice Keane said Snow was hit four times and almost bled to death.

"Your attempt on Constable Snow could not have been more deliberate.

"You could only have had one intent and that was to kill him, and you almost succeeded."

Snow was saved from a bullet entering his chest when it struck and lodged in his police-issue notebook.

Snow read his victim impact statement to the court this morning.

He described the months of on-going surgery and rehabilitation since the shooting and the profound psychological impact.

Snow said he had several of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder - emotional detachment, continual anxiety attacks, hyper-vigilance, irritability and broken sleep.

He often woke at 4am - the time of the shooting - and lied awake, re-running events and possible scenarios in his head.

He said he would not wish what he had been through on anyone - not even Rajgopaul.

Snow said would be able to forgive him but he could not while Rajgopaul continued to refuse to admit his part in the shooting.

Justice Keane said he considered Rajgopaul's upstanding parents and sister to also be victims of his offending.

Rajgopaul was also found guilty of discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm for shooting at friend Gavin Lomas when Lomas called out to him as he fled the property; of possessing a loaded Ceska Zbrojovka .38 pistol, a loaded Ruger .22 six-shot revolver pistol and a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun as well as possession of 5.3g of methamphetamine.

He was found not guilty of possessing another gun.

The defence had contended that a third man at the house - also high on methamphetamine - was with Rajgopaul in the garden and it was him that shot Constable Snow.

Defence counsel Ron Mansfield said his client maintained his innocence.

Justice Keane imposed a minimum term of 10 years.

- with NZPA