Crown to fight bail for man facing murder charge

Teina Taunga has been remanded on bail. Photo / File

An Auckland man has denied a charge of murder and been remanded on bail.

But the Crown is seeking to revoke that bail order, which was made when 29-year-old Teina Taunga first appeared in Manukau District Court last month.

The Clarks Beach man appeared before the High Court at Auckland this morning where he pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gary Mark Moore.

The victim was found dead in his Otara home last month and police said he died after a "physical altercation" in the early hours of July 31.

Several family members and friends packed the public gallery in court this morning.

Defence lawyer Lorraine Smith said she had received a significant amount of police disclosure but was still awaiting the pathologist's report.

"Causation of death is going to be central to how we proceed," she said.

A new hearing on the issue of bail will be held in a couple of weeks through which the Crown will argue for Taunga to be behind bars.

A two-week trial was set for May next year.

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