Accused to stay out of area

Murder accused Murray Kenneth Foreman is waiting for his next court appearance outside Hawkes Bay.

In the High Court in Napier, Justice Paul Heath relaxed the rules around reporting Foreman's bail conditions, but media were not to report exactly where the man accused of shooting Puketitiri farmer Jack Nicholas on August 27, 2004, was living.

After a bail hearing on August 10, Judge Tony Adeane said there was no just cause for Foreman's continued imprisonment and he was released on bail, with conditions.

Details of those conditions were not allowed to be published because of a planned appeal against publication by Napier defence counsel Leo Lafferty.

Justice Heath set out strict rules for reporting, allowing only the publication of the fact that Foreman was released on bail to an address outside the region, to minimise risks of flight, reoffending and interference with witnesses.

"Mr Foreman is only permitted to return to the Hawkes Bay for the purpose of court appearances," Justice Heath confirmed.

The bail conditions require him to appear at his preliminary hearing scheduled for November 20.

No appeal was lodged against the decision to grant bail.

- NZPA