Youth named in dead shearer case

One of two youths accused of attacking Australian shearer Matthew Larkins has admitted a manslaughter charge, and is awaiting sentencing in the High Court in Napier next month.
An application by lawyer Tony Snell for continued name suppression for the teenager was yesterday rejected by Judge Geoff Rea in the Hastings Youth Court.
George Junior Edwards, 16, pleaded guilty to the charge and will appear for a probation officer's report and sentencing on October 21.
Another youth, also 16, is defending a charge of being a party to manslaughter and will appear in the High Court in Napier on October 19. He is also charged with assaulting a female witness to the attack. His name remains suppressed.
Mr Larkins, from Kyneton in Victoria, died in Wellington Hospital on June 2 after being assaulted in Hastings on May 23.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Dean Goodall said in the Hastings Youth Court on September 13, that the youths had approached and verbally abused Mr Larkins early on May 23 in Heretaunga Street West, Hastings.
Mr Larkins had backed away into the middle of the road, forcing a vehicle to stop suddenly.
Mr Goodall said a woman got out of the car, and was struck in the face by the second youth. The first youth was alleged to have hit Mr Larkins, causing him to fall and hit his head on the footpath.
The car driver told the court she saw the first youth strike Mr Larkins.
"He punched him and he just fell to the ground and didn't get up. He was turning a different colour," the woman said.
A second witness said he also saw the first youth attack Mr Larkins.
"He came up behind the guy in the centre of the road, the guy turned around to face him ... and got punched." The man said Mr Larkins fell backwards and his head "whiplashed" into the road.
"I knew he was in big trouble, his heart was beating flat-out and his breathing was really shallow." Judge Rea said yesterday Mr Snell failed to give a good reason why name suppression should remain for Edwards.
The lawyer had pointed out his client's age, the fact there was a co-accused party defending a related charge and that the matter was being heard in the Youth Court.
But Judge Rea said that as soon as Edwards had entered his guilty plea, the matter immediately became one for the High Court, where continued name suppression was very unlikely.
Edwards appeared composed throughout his brief appearance and was supported by his mother in court. He was remanded on bail until his sentencing on October 21.