Woman accused of murder in Tauranga keeps name suppression while fitness to stand trial explored

A woman accused of murdering a man found dead at a Tauranga property has reappeared in the High Court at Tauranga.

The identity of a woman charged with murder in Tauranga remains suppressed while her fitness to stand trial is explored.

Police launched a homicide investigation following the death of a man at a property on September 7.

The accused in that case appeared in the High Court at Tauranga today by audio-visual link from a remand centre.

The defendant’s lawyer Asta Gold successfully sought interim name suppression and suppression of identifying details for her client, continuing orders imposed on September 8.

Gold said she had only just been assigned as the woman’s legal counsel and her application was not opposed by Crown solicitor Anna Pollett.

Justice Graham Lang agreed the suppression orders should remain in place at this stage and he called for a second report to determine the defendant’s fitness to stand trial.

While no plea to the murder charge had been entered, Justice Lang said if the case went to a jury trial, it would be scheduled to begin on November 18 next year in the High Court at Hamilton.

The defendant was remanded in custody to next appear in the High Court at Tauranga on October 11.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.