Lance Scullin: Accused denies charge

The man accused of punching Lance Scullin the night before he was found dead is defending the charges against him.

A Tauranga man accused of twice punching Merivale father Lance Scullin in the head the night before he was found dead plans to defend the charge against him at trial.

Anthony Jack Taikato, 32, of Parkvale, denied a charge of assault with intent to injure when he appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday but pleaded guilty to one charge each of assault and unlawful assembly.

A charge of participating in an organised criminal group was changed to a charge of unlawful assembly at Taikato's last court appearance.

The common assault charge relates to an assault on another man during the same incident.

Taikato was further bailed and is due to back in court on June 16, when it is expected that a date will be set for a jury trial.

His brother Zodiac Wiremu Taikato, 20, was sentenced to 150 hours' community work after he pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful assembly when he also appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday.

In January, Mihaka Ratahi, 21, admitted assaulting Mr Scullin with a piece of wooden fence paling the night before he was found dead in the backyard at his Kesteven Rd home on December 1, 2013.

Police say Mr Scullin was assaulted with the fence paling while trying to break up a fight outside his home but he did not die as a direct result of the assault.

Ratahi was due to be sentenced on February 13 but failed to turn up to court and an arrest warrant remains active. He also faces a charge of unlawful assembly.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth man, Lance Perawiti, who is also charged with unlawful assembly, after he failed to turn up to court.

A fifth man, Shem Williams, was sentenced to 100 hours' community work after admitting one charge of unlawful assembly when he appeared in Tauranga District Court on April 16.