Bedside court hearing postponed for murder accused

A bedside court appearance planned for today for an Auckland salesman facing a murder charge has been postponed to a later date.

Police said the man would remain in Auckland Hospital under guard and would appear before a judge as soon as possible.

The Mt Wellington man, 28, has been charged with murdering Britney Angelique Abbott, nine.

Britney was killed instantly after the four-wheel-drive vehicle that the man was driving plunged 100 metres off the summit of Mt Wellington about 4pm on Sunday.

The man has also been charged with the attempted murder of Britney's four-year-old sister, who was taken to hospital after the incident.

Detective Senior Sergeant Julian Rinckes said earlier that the man had to be put under police guard because he had been arrested.

"That is a normal part of consideration for any prisoner. We have to look at managing that side of things."

He said the man was in a stable condition.

Homicide police still wanted to hear from anyone who witnessed the vehicle being driven off the Mt Wellington summit.

- NZPA