Queenstown kidnapping: Teen granted bail

Mark Junior Taylor, 17, appears in the Queenstown District Court yesterday. Photo / ODT

A 17-year-old charged with kidnapping has been granted bail until his next court appearance in five weeks, but will not be allowed to leave home unless accompanied by a family member.

Mark Junior Taylor has, with Pita William Hapurona Wilson and others, been jointly charged with unlawfully detaining Casey Johnston and Andrew Lee without their consent in Queenstown on November 25-27.

Police are still searching for Wilson and Joshua Veint.

When Taylor first appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday he was remanded in custody.

Today, in the Invercargill District Court, his counsel David Slater, asked Judge Michael Turner to release him on bail to his father's address in the Invercargill area.

He said there were no grounds for Taylor not be be released on bail as there was no suggestion Taylor would fail to appear in court, would commit offences while on bail, or would interfere with witnesses.

Judge Turner said the law stated a 17-year-old should be on bail unless there were no other options, and remanded Taylor on bail to appear again in the Queenstown District Court on January 12.

He imposed a round-the-clock curfew, but said Taylor could leave home provided he was accompanied by an adult family member.

He was instructed not to go to Queenstown, not to use drugs or alcohol, and not to associate with the kidnapping complainants or any of the other co-accused.