Name suppression for murder accused angers Tokoroa residents

Tokoroa residents are questioning the granting of interim name suppression to the man accused of murdering schoolteacher Lois Dear when most of the people there know his identity.

Many locals voiced their disgust outside Tokoroa District Court yesterday following the appearance of the 23-year-old accused, some saying name suppression was a "joke".

They argued that so many people in the town knew his identity the wider public was entitled to know too.

Some bystanders yelled out the man's name as he made his way into and out of court under police escort.

The man was remanded in custody to reappear on July 31.

He faced a torrent of abuse on his way to and from court, and was abused from the public gallery inside the court house.

A bystander said she was a caregiver for Ms Dear's father, and had come to let people know who had been arrested.

She yelled out the man's name as he was escorted to the court. If anyone in the South Waikato town did not know who had been arrested, they did now, she said.

"The whole town is angry," she said, saying she did not want to be named.

New entrant teacher Ms Dear, 66, was found dead in her Strathmore Primary School, Tokoroa, classroom on Sunday, July 16.

She had been beaten to death while preparing for the new school term the next day.

A memorial service will be held at the school tomorrow.

Investigation head Detective Inspector Garth Bryan said the inquiry team had a lot more work to do.

He hoped more people would come forward with information.

"Quite often people come forward after somebody has been arrested and they may do so in this case," Mr Bryan said.

"We are still keen to hear from anyone who may have seen someone driving her car, around Mossop Road and also north of Tokoroa on State Highway 1 on the day of her death, but any information would be welcome."

Mr Bryan said police were not seeking anyone else in connection with Ms Dear's death. Further investigations would reveal if anybody would be arrested on accessory charges, he said.

- NZPA