A trial date of June 26, 2023, has been set for a 34-year-old man charged with murder of a three-month old baby in Christchurch on January 2. Photo / George Heard
A trial date of June 26, 2023, has been set for a 34-year-old man charged with murder of a 3-month old baby in Christchurch on January 2.
The man pleaded not guilty at his first appearance in the High Court at Christchurch today, where he appeared by video-link.
His defence counsel Kerry Cook said name suppression was no longer sought after it was granted at his initial Christchurch District Court appearance.
However, at the request of the Crown, Justice Cameron Mander has continued the suppression on the name of a woman, and of the deceased child.
Those orders mean that the man cannot be named in the media at this stage.
He was remanded to a case review hearing on April 29. He remains in custody pending an application for his release on electronically monitored bail, which is scheduled for Tuesday.
The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.
At his district court appearance, the man faced a charge of drink-driving, which will continue to be dealt with in the district court.
"Police extends its deepest sympathies to the child's whānau," a short police statement said at the time of the initial appearance.
"The family have requested privacy at this time.
"The investigation is ongoing and police are not in a position to release the child's name or provide any further comment at this stage."
Detectives flew to Victoria, NSW and Queensland as part of the investigation.