High Court Trial Begins for Taupō Mongrel Mob President in Murder Case

The trial of Teina Williams, the president of the Taupō Mongrel Mob, has commenced in the High Court at Rotorua, where he stands accused of the murder of Ryan Woodford. The incident, which has drawn significant public and media attention, occurred on March 6, 2022, when Woodford was shot in an execution-style killing at the Adelphi Motel in Taupō, in front of his partner and children.

According to the Crown's allegations, Williams, who is also a member of the Mongrel Mob, pulled the trigger at point-blank range after Woodford, a member of the Black Power gang, answered a knock at the door. The prosecution has presented CCTV footage to the jury, which shows a blue Holden Commodore arriving at the motel, with a man dressed in white and wearing a face mask holding up a patch associated with the Mangu Kaha gang, a faction of Black Power.

Woodford opened the door and was immediately shot. The Crown has also provided evidence that Williams had tampered with his electronically monitored ankle bracelet by wrapping it in tin foil in order to escape from the Grace Foundation, a residential drug rehabilitation facility in Auckland. This allowed him to drive to Taupō undetected and evade tracking for approximately 12 hours around the time of the shooting.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Woodford. His defense, led by lawyer Ted Walsh, argues that his client was not present at the scene of the crime and therefore cannot be held responsible for the shooting. The trial, which is expected to last five weeks, will involve a detailed examination of the evidence, including the use of the tinfoil to circumvent electronic monitoring and the CCTV footage that places a man matching Williams’ description at the scene.

The case has raised important questions about the effectiveness of electronic monitoring systems used in rehabilitation facilities and the potential for gang-related violence to spill over into wider communities. The trial is being closely watched by both the legal community and the public, as it is expected to set a precedent in cases involving organized crime and the use of technology to evade law enforcement.

As the trial progresses, the court will be considering not only the direct evidence of the crime, but also the broader context of gang tensions and the role of rehabilitation facilities in managing the behavior of individuals involved in organized crime.