Name suppression drops for Waihi Beach murder accused

The court house in Tauranga. Photo / File

Interim name suppression has lapsed for a man accused of murder.

Asha Carden-Soole, 21, is accused of murdering 22-year-old Joshua Michael Louis Copestake at a Seaforth Rd property in Waihi Beach on January 3 or 4.

In the Tauranga High Court this morning Carden-Soole pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

He appeared before Justice Anne Hinton via an audio-visual link from Springfield Prison.

Carden-Soole gestured to a small group of supporters in the public gallery of the courtroom at the beginning of his appearance today, saying "love you guys".

His lawyer Russell Boot acknowledged there were no grounds to continue an interim name suppression order made at Carden-Soole's first appearance in Hamilton last month.

Carden will reappear in the Tauranga court for a hearing to consider bail on February 17.

A trial is expected to be set down for later this year.