Not guilty plea to homeless man's death

Darrell Edward James Dunn, 47, denies any involvement in the death of Teina Pehi Wharawhara, 42, in November. Photo / Supplied

A man charged over the death of a homeless man, who was carried to hospital by his mates, has pleaded not guilty to his manslaughter.

He can also be named for the first time, after his interim name suppression was lifted by Justice Graham Lang in the High Court at Auckland this morning.

Darrell Edward James Dunn, 47, denies any involvement in the death of Teina Pehi Wharawhara, 42, in November.

He was originally charged with assault, but that was upgraded to manslaughter.

Dunn entered not guilty pleas in the High Court at Auckland via his lawyer this morning, and a trial date was set for next September.

He was remanded in custody until then.

A friend of Mr Wharawhara first approached staff at the Auckland Hospital emergency department about two hours after the alleged attack on the homeless man in Outhwaite Park in the central Auckland suburb of Grafton, at about 10.06pm on November 10.

He was with associates in the park at the time of the incident.

Hospital staff called for an ambulance but paramedics were unable to find Mr Wharawhara as his friends had left the hospital without providing exact location details, police said following the incident.

Around 30 minutes later police received a phone call about a body in the park and attended the scene. However, they also could not locate the victim, who had by that time been carried to the hospital by his two friends.

It was 11pm by the time he arrived at the emergency department, police said at the time. Mr Wharawhara later died of his injuries.