Hamilton assault accused granted bail, loses suppression

The Forest Lake Rd, Hamilton, property where 48-year-old Jayden Heke died after an assault. Chadwick Alexander Tanemahuta Ropitini, 26, has pleaded not guilty to assault. Photo / File

A Hamilton 26-year-old charged with assaulting a man who later died has lost his bid for name suppression.

Through his lawyer Truc Tran, Chadwick Alexander Tanemahuta Ropitini, 26, entered a not guilty plea to the assault charge after an incident at a Forest Lake, Hamilton, house on Boxing Day.

Ropitini and the victim, Jayden Heke, 48, knew each other.

Heke died at the scene.

Ropitini appeared via audio visual link in the Hamilton District Court earlier this week.

Tran told Judge Paul Mabey QC his client was keen to pursue name suppression due to a furore over social media since his arrest that a man had died and he had only been charged with assault.

However, the judge reminded Tran that to qualify for further name suppression the applicant had to endure "extreme hardship".

After a short break, Tran abandoned the bid and the suppression lapsed.

However, Ropitini was successful in getting his bail application granted.

Police prosecutor Marc Hepworth said police were awaiting further forensic reports before deciding on whether to lay any further charges.

Ropitini was bailed to a Whangarei address to reappear in court on February 27, with conditions not to travel south of Auckland.