Three Northland murder cases involving young defendants progressing through the High Court

Specialist investigators examine the area where a 62-year-old Michael John Biggins was found critically injured in his crashed car. Photo / NZME

Three Northland murder cases, each involving young accused - one of who is only aged 12 - progressed further through the High Court at Whangārei today.

The cases, which are separate and unrelated, were called in succession for Justice Timothy Brewer to check the various stages of progress for each.

All the cases involved young people, each of who were previously granted interim suppression due to their young ages.

Justice Brewer continued the orders but granted leave for the Crown and media organisations to apply to have them lifted earlier.

Special hearings will be scheduled if necessary.

The 12-year-old boy is jointly charged with murdering Northland man Michael John Biggins in Ōkaihau, on September 27, last year.

Biggins, 62, was unable to be revived by emergency services after he was discovered in a vehicle that had crashed into a tree on Imms Road.

Counsel John Munro entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the boy, who appeared via AV-link.

The co-accused, now 15 but 14 at the time of the alleged incident, has already pleaded not guilty.

Justice Brewer granted a Crown application, unopposed by Munro, to have the boy's case heard with his co-accused, a jury trial for which has already been scheduled to start March 6, next year, and set down for three weeks.

The judge also directed a specialist mental health report for the 12-year-old - to ensure he is fit to stand trial.

The boy was further remanded into the care of Oranga Tamariki.

A second case involved an 18-year-old who was 17 when he and a 20-year-old allegedly murdered a man during an incident in Bank Street, Whangarei, on June 12, last year.

Counsel Ron Mansfield QC entered a not guilty plea on his client's behalf, to a murder charge. The older of the pair has already pleaded not guilty.

An application by the Crown for both defendants to be tried together was granted unopposed by counsel.

The cases will be called together on April 7 to further check progress ahead of their trial, which is scheduled to start on November 7.

The 18-year-old was further remanded on bail until trial.

The third case involved a 15-year-old found guilty by a jury last December of murdering Bram Willems near the Roadrunner Tavern between Ōpua and Paihia on January 7, last year.

The teenager was also represented by Mansfield, who told the court he will seek a sentence less than life imprisonment for his client.

Mansfield said a sentencing date would need to be sometime after April as time was needed for a number of specialist reports to be completed.

Justice Brewer said sentencing dates that far into the court calendar, were not yet available but Crown and counsel could confer later on a date and have it set administratively.

Meanwhile, the teen was further remanded in custody until May 26 or until the sentencing date – whichever is sooner.