Moore v Police

[2025] NZHC 2038

IN THE HIGH COURT OF NEW ZEALAND CHRISTCHURCH REGISTRY

I TE KŌTI MATUA O AOTEAROA ŌTAUTAHI ROHE

CRI-2025-409-114

[2025] NZHC 2038

BETWEEN

ADAM MOORE

Appellant

AND

NEW ZEALAND POLICE

Respondent

Hearing:	17 July 2025
Appearances:	D B Iremonger for Appellant L Fiennes for Respondent
Judgment:	23 July 2025

JUDGMENT OF EATON J

(appeal against sentence)

This judgment was delivered by me on …….. at ……… pursuant to Rule 11.5 of the High Court Rules

Registrar/Deputy Registrar Date:

MOORE v POLICE [2025] NZHC 2038 [23 July 2025]

Introduction

[1]                 Adam Moore appeals a sentence of three years’ and 10 months’ imprisonment imposed by Judge Couch on 16 May 20251 following his guilty pleas to a charge of discharging a firearm with intent to intimidate,2 four charges of unlawful possession of two sawn off shotguns and ammunition,3 possession of an offensive weapon,4 cultivating cannabis5 and failing to provide a PIN code.6

Facts

[2]                 At approximately 8.41 pm on Monday 6 January 2025, Mr Moore was the passenger of a car in a North Canterbury residential area. It was school-holidays and still light outside. The car turned into the street of the victim’s home address. A member of the public called police to report erratic driving from a car described as driving in excess of the speed limit with the registration plates blacked out. The two occupants were said to be wearing balaclavas.

[3]                 The car stopped in front of the victim’s address. Mr Moore fired five shots from a 20-gauge shotgun at the victim’s house. The shots smashed a child’s bedroom window and impacted the garage door. The car drove off. At the time, Mr Moore was subject to electronic monitoring as part of his release conditions.

[4]                 On 14 January 2025, a search warrant was carried out at the address Mr Moore shared with his partner and her three-year-old daughter.

[5]                 In the garage, police located a hydroponic growing setup with 10 cannabis plants between 60 to 100 centimetres tall. Police located two semi-automatic shotguns (one 12-gauge and one 20-gauge) concealed in a luggage bag in the hallway next to the master bedroom. Each firearm was wrapped in a towel and had the barrel and stock cut down. In the same luggage bag, was a box of fourteen 20-gauge cartridges.

1      Police v Moore [2025] NZDC 10774.

2      Crimes Act 1961, s 308A—maximum penalty five years’ imprisonment.

3      Arms Act 1983, s 45(1)—maximum penalty four years’ imprisonment or $5,000 fine.

4      Crimes Act 1961, s 202A(4)(b)—maximum penalty three years’ imprisonment.

5      Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, s 9(1)—maximum penalty seven years’ imprisonment.

6      Search and Surveillance Act 2012, ss 178 and 130(1)—maximum penalty three months’ imprisonment.

The 20-gauge cartridge shells are a distinctive yellow colour of the same make as the ones left behind by Mr Moore after shooting at the address in North Canterbury. In the master bedroom, under a set of drawers, police found a single 12-gauge shotgun cartridge. In a separate bag in the hallway, an extendable baton…