‘Evidence seems strong’ against Kaitāia woman charged with attempted murder

The Far North woman will go to trial in 2024 on a charge of attempted murder. Photo / Peter Jackson

A woman charged with attempting to murder another woman in Kaitāia has entered not guilty pleas and been declared fit to stand trial.

The Kaitāia woman first appeared in the High Court at Whangārei on February 14 on a charge of attempted murder relating to an event on February 8 in the Far North.

The charge of attempted murder has a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.

At a disclosure hearing at the High Court in Whangārei today, Justice Timothy Brewer told the woman’s lawyer, John Clearwater, the evidence so far was strong and sought a resolution to free up trial time.

“The evidence against your client seems very strong, is there any chance of a resolution as I would like an earlier resolution rather than a later one so I can reassign the trial date,” Justice Brewer asked.

“I would be pessimistic about giving an earlier resolution,” Clearwater answered.

Clearwater is the woman’s third assigned lawyer since February.

Further ESR test results are still pending from the investigation and a trial date has been scheduled in the High Court at Whangārei for July 2024.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tōkerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/Ngātiwai/Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked freelance in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.