Delay to trial for Blessie murder-accused

Blessie Gotingco.

The trial for the man accused of murdering Auckland woman Blessie Gotingco has been delayed.

There is heavy suppression covering matters around the case and the identity of the defendant, who appeared at the High Court in Auckland this morning.

Justice Helen Winkelmann ruled the trial date of March 3 would be vacated and instead used for the hearing of "necessary pre-trial matters".

A new trial date will be set later.

The Crown added a charge of sexual violation to join the murder charge on December 17.

Mrs Gotingco, a 56-year-old mother of three, was last seen leaving her workplace, Tower Insurance in the CBD, about 7pm on May 24.

She took a bus from Lower Albert St to Birkdale Rd and it is thought she was walking the short distance home when she encountered her alleged attacker.

He lived within a couple of kilometres from Mrs Gotingco's Salisbury Rd home and less than a kilometre from the bus stop she got off at.

Mrs Gotingco's body was found in an area of bush at the Birkenhead-Glenfield cemetery on Eskdale Rd.