Seventh arrest in McLaren Falls murder case

A seventh person has been arrested in relation to the alleged murder of Mitchell Paterson, above, at McLaren Falls in July last year. Photo / File

A seventh person has appeared in court in relation to the killing of a Ngaruawahia man at McLaren Falls.

Ngaruawahia man Mitchell Paterson was found dead after being dumped in water underneath the McLaren Falls bridge, near Tauranga, on July 13 last year.

Six people have already appeared in court, however a seventh person, 21-year-old Dylan Ken Brian Boyle, of Hamilton, also made a brief appearance in the High Court at Hamilton yesterday before Justice Sarah Katz.

Boyle, who is on bail, denies charges of manslaughter, kidnapping and conspiring to defeat the course of justice.

Simon Peter Walker, 36, of Hamilton, appeared via audio visual link. He denies charges of murder, kidnapping, conspiring to defeat the course of justice and a new charge of interfering with human remains.

Leon Colin Wilson, also appeared via audio visual link, after a fiery appearance in court in November last year when he jumped out of the dock and tried to confront a member of Paterson's family after a verbal exchange.

He earlier pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, kidnapping and conspiring to defeat the course of justice.

Christopher Ramia Smith, 34, denies charges of murder, kidnapping and conspiring to defeat the course of justice.

James Lee Green, 27, of Western Bay of Plenty, is on bail and was excused from attending. He denies charges of conspiring to defeat the course of justice and interfering with human remains. Through his lawyer Sheila Cameron, he intimated a guilty plea on a charge of driving while disqualified.

Grant Stewart Wickens, 33, of Hamilton, also appeared via audio visual link. He denies charges of manslaughter, kidnapping and conspiring to defeat the course of justice.

Kyra Betteridge, 29, is also on bail, and was excused from attending yesterday's callover. She also denies charges of conspiring to defeat the course of justice and interfering with human remains.

Justice Katz scheduled another callover for April 30 to check on progress for the trial which is set down for July 1.

A request was also made for the trial to be extended from three weeks to four. The registrary was looking into whether that was feasible.