The 23-year-old was remanded without plea to the Henry Bennett Centre at Te Whatu Ora for mental health assessments. Photo / NZME
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman in Ngaruawahia.
Police were called to the Cavan St property just before 9.30pm yesterday after reports of a serious assault.
A woman was found dead inside the house.
A 23-year-old man today appeared in the Hamilton District Court.
His lawyer Glenn Dixon told Judge Brett Crowley his client had been assessed by mental health staff at court, who recommended he be remanded to the Henry Bennett Centre at Te Whatu Ora for further assessment.
Those assessments would cover instanity and his fitness to plead.
He also successfully sought interim name suppression.
Judge Crowley remanded the accused to Henry Bennett Centre without plea to reappear in the High Court at Hamilton next month.
He was caught trying to trade gift vouchers for sex with a 14yo, police say.