Steve Taiatini death: Two deny joint charge of murdering gang leader

Richard David Collins, 50, pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering Mongrel Mob Barbarians president Steven Taiatini when he appeared in the High Court at Tauranga on April 10. Photo / Alex Cairns

The identity of one of the two people jointly charged with murdering Mongrel Mob Barbarians gang president Steven Taiatini in Ōpōtiki can now be revealed.

Police allege Taiatini was fatally struck by a vehicle on St John St in the Eastern Bay of Plenty town following an altercation on the evening of June 9, 2023.

Name suppression lapsed for Richard Collins, 50, of Ōpōtiki when he appeared in the High Court at Tauranga today via an audiovisual link from prison.

Steven Taiatini was fatally struck by a vehicle in Ōpōtiki last year. Photo / NZME

His lawyer Steven Lack entered a not-guilty plea to the joint murder charge on Collins’ behalf.

Crown solicitor Anna Pollett told Justice Neil Campbell she opposed continued name suppression for Collins.

Justice Campbell agreed and lifted the suppression order. Campbell also granted NZME’s application to photograph the defendant.

Collins’ co-accused also appeared at the hearing in-person.

The 38-year-old woman pleaded not guilty to the murder charge through her lawyer Nicholas Dutch.

Dutch successfully sought continued interim name suppression for the woman for “safety” reasons.

Justice Campbell remanded both defendants in custody to next appear in the same court on June 12 for a case review hearing.

Their trial was scheduled to begin in the Rotorua High Court on October 27 next year.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.