David Tamihere informant gets name suppression for perjury trial

Tamihere was convicted of the murders of Heidi Paakkonen and Sven Hoglin in 1989, but has always maintained his innocence. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A jailhouse snitch who gave evidence that led to the prosecution of David Tamihere for the murders of two Swedish tourists will not be named.

Longtime inmate Arthur Taylor has had his appeal to name "Witness C" dismissed by the Court of Appeal, in a decision released on Monday.

However, Witness C will still go on trial on charges of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice on Monday, brought as a private prosecution by serial prison litigant Taylor.

Tamihere was convicted of the murders of Heidi Paakkonen and Sven Hoglin in 1989, but has always maintained his innocence.

He was released on parole in 2010.

Taylor brought a private prosecution against Witness C - a prisoner who said Tamihere told him how he carried out the murders - alleging the witness committed perjury and was a threat to justice in New Zealand.

Arthur Taylor has had his appeal to name "Witness C" dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Taylor said naming Witness C, who still in prison, could produce more evidence in the Tamihere prosecution.

In its decision, the Court of Appeal said the evidence Witness C gave at the trial in 1990 was separate to the suppression issue.

Taylor was not a member of the Crown prosecution team from 1990, nor he is a member of the media, who can apply for name suppression to be lifted, it said.

But the court made no order for costs from Taylor, saying the "public interest in clarifying the law" was important.

The perjury trial is set to start at the High Court Auckland on Monday.

- AAP