The trial for a man accused of murdering five people by starting a fire in a Wellington hostel begins today.
The man, who has interim name suppression at least until the end of the trial, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder and two counts of arson, and will be pursuing a defence of insanity.
The blaze happened in the Loafers Lodge hostel on Adelaide Rd in Newtown on May 16, 2023, killing Mike Wahrlich, Liam Hockings, Peter O’Sullivan, Melvin Parun and Kenneth Barnard.
The fire broke out about 12.30am, with residents in the boarding house spilling out on to the street, some barefoot and in pyjamas, as flames leapt from an upper level of the four-storey building.
A witness at the time said fire crews had pumped so much water into the building it was “cascading” out of the windows – but the fire continued to burn. At the height of the blaze, 90 firefighters were working to bring it under control.
Afterwards, police spent two weeks making sure everyone who lived in the hostel was accounted for. There were 99 people believed to be residents at the time of the fire.
A methodical search of the building in the days following, hampered by heavy debris and building instability, revealed the bodies of the five victims in the charred ruins of the hostel.
The defendant is accused of starting two fires at the hostel, one of which did not fully develop.
His trial before Justice Peter Churchman in the High Court at Wellington is set down for up to five weeks.
In June this year, police also announced charges of manslaughter for four people involved in building management and operating the fire safety system of the hostel.
The four people facing manslaughter charges are a 70-year-old woman and three men, aged 75, 58, and 72. That case will run separately from the murder trial at a later date.
The victims were Kenneth Barnard, 67, Liam James Hockings, 50, Peter Glenn O’Sullivan, 64, Melvin Joseph Parun, 68, and Michael Wahrlich, 67, known by many as Mike the Juggler.
A statement released by police on behalf of the Hockings family said: “We would like to thank everyone for their support and kindness at this time.”
Liam Hockings’ sister is BBC presenter Lucy Hockings, and he had met former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during his time at university, with the pair joining other activists to rally against the privatisation of education in 1997.
Kenneth Barnard’s family described him as caring and kind.
“Kenneth was our brother, he was a funny little kid, a kindly boy who became a kindly man as he grew up,” the family statement said.
“His nephews and nieces adored him.
“His phone calls were always caring, and he was very patient when teased, which some of us did every time the opportunity presented itself.
“Rest in peace, dear brother, we will really miss you.”
Wellington’s legal community also shared memories of Melvin Parun, recalling him as a kind and eccentric criminal lawyer who was passionate about his work.
Parun left the country after a failed legal challenge against the Court of Appeal practice in the early 2000s of allowing High Court judges to temporarily sit on Court of Appeal cases.
Most of Parun’s colleagues lost touch with him after he moved to Australia and had not realised he had moved back to New Zealand and was living in Loafers Lodge.
About 400 people also attended Michael Wahrlich’s funeral online and in person.
Mourners from all walks of life trickled into the Newtown funeral home hosting the memorial – buskers, police, social workers, government bureaucrats, gang members – and the mayor.
Margaret Wahrlich, one of Mike’s four siblings, said the 67-year-old began juggling as a child, using oranges and lemons from the kitchen.
Her brother was a caring person, she said, who would be grieving for the other fire victims if he had survived.
“Our hearts go out to all the victims of the fire ... condolences to their friends and family,” she said.
A tribute page by the Wilson Funeral Home said Wahrlich was a well-known Wellington street entertainer who brought joy to the lives of many people.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.