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One of the men on trial over the Red Fox Tavern shooting more than 30 years ago was jailed for a similar robbery several years earlier, a jury has heard.
Saturday night at Red Fox: A tragedy remembered 33 years on
12 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM
8 minutes to read
The Red Fox Tavern near Maramarua where publican Chris Bush was murdered in 1987. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The Red Fox Tavern near Maramarua where publican Chris Bush was murdered in 1987. Photo / Jason Oxenham Bill wondered about getting out of bed to mow the lawns but thought no, bugger it, they could wait. He was comfortable. He d woken up at 7 and read for a while, then went back to sleep. In the afternoon, he watched The Scarlet Pimpernel, a 1982 adventure movie set in the French Revolution. It was all right even though it went on for three hours with commercials. Bill, who rented his bach from a dairy company, lay in bed all day. He worked hard with timber during the week and it was a Saturday. Besides, he liked things quiet. It suited his personality. He was a softly spoken man, 41 years old, and kept out of people s way.
A man who was one of the first on the scene after a Waikato publican was gunned down in a robbery more than 30 years said as soon as he saw his friend lying face down on the floor, he knew he was dead, a jury has been told.
Waikato publican Chris Bush was shot dead at the Red Fox Tavern on 24 October 1987.
Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Father of two Chris Bush, 43, was shot dead at the Red Fox Tavern in Maramarua, northern Waikato, on 24 October 1987.
Mark Hoggart, 60, and another man with name suppression are on trial in the High Court at Auckland, charged with murder and aggravated robbery.