Bail denied for man charged with hit and run death of man sitting on a bench in Kaitaia

Police at the scene in Kaitaia's Commerce St where Edward Waenga died after being hit by a car in the early hours of January 12.

The man accused of driving the car that smashed into a bench seat in Kaitaia's main street on January 12, killing 54-year-old Edward Waenga, then running off, has been denied bail.

Bayley Te Kohu Karena Goodhue, 20, was further remanded in custody when he appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court yesterday.

He will appear again on February 7 on charges of driving with excess alcohol causing death, driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop/ascertain injury, and an unrelated charge of burglary.

No pleas were entered, counsel Doug Blaikie saying he had been assigned under legal aid the day before, and had not yet completed the discovery process. He expected the charges to be "resolved with pleas" at his client's next appearance.

Mr Blaikie applied for bail, saying the defendant would live at his mother's address at Ahipara under a 24-hour curfew. He needed to put his affairs in order, and could not do so if he was in custody.

Prosecutor Sergeant Peter Wackrow said the police maintained their opposition to bail.

Mr Blaikie submitted that his client was "full of remorse", and would not do anything to compound his situation.

Mr Waenga had been sitting on a bench outside Central Dairy in Commerce St, Kaitaia, about 1am when he was struck and killed by a car.