Man in court over double murder

A man appeared in court today charged with murdering two young women in the Porirua suburb of Titahi Bay yesterday.

The 28-year-old unemployed man from Porirua, who was granted interim name suppression, was accused of murdering Joeline Rangimaria Edmonds, 21, and Jashana Maree Robinson, 16, whose bodies were found in a house in Morere Street about 10am yesterday.

He was also accused of breaching a protection order in respect of Ms Edmonds.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in the same court on July 7.

Police discovered the women's bodies after a man with his hands covered in blood was seen running in circles outside the property.

Detective Inspector Shane Cotter, of Porirua Police, said today Ms Edmonds lived at the Morere Street house with her two children, both under the age of two, and Ms Robinson had moved in as a boarder about a week ago.

The children were inside the house at the time of the slaying.

They were now being cared for by family members.

Mr Cotter renewed his appeal to anyone seeing a man walking between Tawa and Titahi Bay carrying a baseball bat between 6am and 10am yesterday to contact police on (04) 238 1401.

- NZPA