NT Police officer James Kirstenfeldt excused from facing court on drink-driving, weapons charges

An NT Police officer has been excused from appearing in court on a string of charges including drink driving and going armed in public. Find out why.

Constable James Kirstenfeldt leaves the Alice Springs Local Court in 2022 after giving evidence at an inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker. Picture: Jason Walls

An NT Police officer has been excused from appearing in court on a string of charges including drink-driving and going armed in public following an incident in Muirhead last month.

Constable James Kirstenfeldt was listed to appear in the Darwin Local Court for the first time on Thursday where he also faces charges of careless driving, failing to provide breath for analysis and failing to meet storage requirements.

But after his lawyer Luke Officer “provided correspondence about his client not being able to attend today”, judge Therese Austin formally excused him from being present in court.

Constable James Kirstenfeldt outside the Alice Springs Local Court during an inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker. Picture: Jason Walls

The brief administrative hearing was adjourned within minutes and Kirstenfeldt’s bail extended until his next court appearance on July 8 when he will also be excused from attending.

Kirstenfeldt was a member of the Immediate Response Team who attended Yuendumu in 2019 when former constable Zach Rolfe fatally shot 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man Kumanjayi Walker.

Mr Rolfe was acquitted on all charges and Kirstenfeldt was never charged over the shooting, later giving evidence at Mr Rolfe’s Supreme Court trial and an ongoing coronial inquest.