Nicole Mason, Ivy Ward to head to trial in connection to alleged hit-and-run of New Zealand firefighter pilot Ian Pullen

Now there is four people charged in connection to an alleged hit-and-run which killed New Zealand firefighter pilot Ian Pullen who will head to trial after entering pleas.

Two more charged in connection to an alleged hit-and-run, which killed New Zealand firefighter pilot Ian Pullen, will also head to trial to defend their charges.

To add to the not guilty pleas of Joshua Knight, 30, and Lilli-Jane Sales, 22, earlier this month for their alleged involvement in Mr Pullen’s death, Nicole Mason, 31 and Ivy Ward, 28, have also entered not guilty pleas, as their matters head to Newcastle’s District Court.

The 43-year-old was found dead on the side of a road at Glenridding, near Singleton in the Hunter Valley, in the early hours of September 29, 2018.

The husband and father-of-three had travelled to Australia to help battle out-of-control bushfires and died on Carrington St, just metres from the caravan park where he was staying with his aviation team.

Ian Pullen, who was found dead at Singleton in November 2018. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Pullen’s death remained a mystery for 12 months, until a $350,000 reward prompted an anonymous tip that finally gave detectives a lead, but it was almost another year before any arrests were made.

Police have alleged in court Knight accidentally hit Mr Pullen with his Toyota HiLux, and his passenger Mason then got out and struck him in the head with an unknown object to ensure he was dead.

Police further allege Sales and Ward were in the ute at the time of the collision and helped to hide it later on.

In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday Mason pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempt to murder, and two charges of conceal a serious indictable offence.

Nicole Mason has been charged with attempted murder, assault and conceal a serious indictable offence in relation to death of New Zealand firefighter Ian Pullen. Picture: Facebook.

Ivy-Jean Ward has been charged with concealing a serious indictable offence over the 2018 death of firefighter Ian Pullen. Picture: Facebook.

She had charges of murder and solicit/persuade murder dismissed.

Ward also pleaded not guilty to do an act intending to pervert the course of justice, and two charges of conceal a serious indictable offence, while a charge of accessory after the fact to murder has been dismissed against her.

Both women will head to trial sometime next year and will be arraigned on their next occasion in court next month.

Last week, Knight pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death, while Sales pleaded not guilty to two counts of concealing a serious indictable offence. 

A charge of accessory after the fact to murder has been dropped against her.

Both will also head to trial next year.

The fifth person charged, Mark Sales - the father of a Lilli-Jane Sales - will also head to a hearing in February next year after he too pleaded not guilty to hindering an investigation and two charges of concealing a serious indictable offence.

EARLIER

Two accused over alleged hit-run deny charges

Two people charged in connection to an alleged hit-and-run, which killed New Zealand firefighter pilot Ian Pullen will head to trial to defend their charges.

The 43-year-old was found dead on the side of a road at Glenridding, near Singleton in the Hunter Valley, in the early hours of September 29, 2018.

The husband and father-of-three had travelled to Australia to help battle out-of-control bushfires and died on Carrington St, just metres from the caravan park where he was staying with his aviation team.

Joshua Knight (left) and Lilli-Jane Sales (right) pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the alleged hit-and-run of New Zealand firefighting pilot Ian Pullen in Singleton, 2018. Credit: Facebook

Mr Pullen’s death remained a mystery for 12 months, until a $350,000 reward prompted an anonymous tip that finally gave detectives a lead, but it was almost another year before any arrests were made.

Police have alleged in court Joshua Knight, 30, accidentally hit Mr Pullen with his Toyota HiLux, and his passenger, Nicole Mason, 31, then got out and struck him in the head with an unknown object to ensure he was dead.

Police further allege Lilli-Jane Sales, 22, was in the ute at the time of the collision and Ivy-Jean Ward, 28, helped hide it later on.

In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday, Knight appeared via video link from Parklea prison and pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death.

Sales also pleaded not guilty to two counts of concealing a serious indictable offence. A charge of accessory after the fact to murder has been dropped.

Ian Pullen, who was found dead at Singleton in November 2018, and his wife Vicki. Picture: Supplied.

Both will head to trial sometime next year.

Mason, who was charged with attempted murder; assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of conceal a serious indictable offence, and Ward who was charged with two counts of concealing a serious indictable offence also had their matters mentioned.

Neither entered a plea and both were adjourned for a further two weeks.

In June, The Newcastle News revealed ex-Nomads president Bradley Bowtell was a fifth person charged for allegedly failing to disclose information and lying to police during their investigation, but those charges were dismissed months later after a magistrate ruled there was no case to answer.

The sixth person charged, and the father of one of his co-accused, was also allegedly implicated in Mr Pullen’s death and trying to cover it up.

The 47-year-old has been charged with hindering the investigation of a serious indictable offence and concealing a serious indictable offence.

He’s set to appear in Muswellbrook Local Court next week.