A Whangarei man has pleaded not guilty to murdering his son.
Phillip Beazley, 60, appeared in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday on one charge of murder. He pleaded not guilty through his lawyer, Arthur Fairley. Beazley is alleged to have killed his son, Leonard Nigel Kingi, 25, at a house in Tikipunga on January 26.
Mr Fairley indicated he would possibly apply for bail. Beazley was remanded in custody to re-appear for a case review hearing on April 23.
Police initially charged Beazley with assault pending a post-mortem examination.
He appeared in the Whangarei District Court on that charge on January 27 and was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody.
He was again remanded in custody after his second court appearance on February 9.
Mr Kingi's death became the police's first homicide investigation in Northland this year.
Two ambulances went to a Balmoral Rd house on January 26 but staff found Mr Kingi was dead when they arrived. Police then started an investigation dubbed Operation Tide.