Norfolk Island murder hearing due

The New Zealand man accused of murdering Sydney woman Janelle Patton on Norfolk Island was due to take part in a court directions hearing today.

Glenn Peter Charles McNeill, a 28-year-old father of two, was arrested in February in Nelson and extradited to Norfolk Island where he was formally charged, before being flown to Silverwater Jail in Sydney.

At the last directions hearing in February McNeill took part via a telephone conference call and did not enter a plea to the charge that he did "feloniously and maliciously murder Janelle Louise Patton".

The hearing was in Canberra before Norfolk Island's Chief Magistrate Ron Cahill, who is also ACT's Chief Magistrate.

A further directions hearing before Mr Cahill is scheduled for today and a committal hearing is expected to be held on Norfolk Island on May 22.

Ms Patton, 29, was last seen walking along the island's Rooty Hill Road on March 31, 2002.

Her body was discovered about six hours later, partially wrapped in a sheet of black builders' plastic, at Cockpit Waterfall Reserve.

- NZPA