By Karen Breytenbach
The assault case against Pinelands pastor Peter Hammond has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide if it should be pursued.
The 45-year-old evangelist, pro-gun campaigner and director of the Cape Town Frontline Fellowship is accused of shooting trick-or-treating children with a paintball gun on Halloween last year, and has been charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
He has not yet been asked to plead.
Hammond was accompanied only by his lawyer in a small courtroom in Goodwood magistrate's court on Wednesday. The case against his 11-year-old son, who was with him on the night of the alleged shootings, was dropped earlier this year.
The father of four allegedly took his children on an "anti-Halloween" paintball shooting rampage in Rosebank, Pinelands and Rondebosch on the night of October 31.
Four children were hit by paintballs, one boy hit in the jaw at close range.
After the incident Hammond claimed the gun had been accidentally discharged when his son "panicked", and no malice had been intended.
He said he did not touch the gun.
Magistrate Edward Wessels postponed the hearing to August 2.