Ōtaki murder accused seeks name suppression

The man's case was called in the High Court at Wellington this morning. Photo / File

The man accused of murdering an Ōtaki man will fight to keep his name secret on mental health grounds.

The 33-year-old appeared in the High Court at Wellington by audio visual link this morning, where his lawyer asked for name suppression to continue.

The man is accused of killing Ōtaki resident Roger Chin at his Mill Rd home in the evening of May 16.

Emergency services were called to the property after reports a man in his 50s was injured.

Despite receiving medical treatment, he died at the scene.

Defence lawyer Paul Surridge asked for name suppression to continue, saying there were issues around mental health and possible schizophrenia.

"Witness statements show a significant degree of impairment," he said.

Justice Simon France extended time for a suppression application to be filed, after which the matter could be argued.

The defendant will appear for a callover in October. He has not entered a plea yet.

Chin was described by neighbours as a quiet man and a "really nice guy".

One neighbour said he had spoken to Chin a few times in passing and never had any problems with him.

"We didn't communicate much at all, really. He kept to himself and I kept to myself."

Another neighbour said she lived close enough that she could reach out the window and touch his house, but despite being home at the time of his death she heard nothing next door.

The first she knew of the death was when she woke up next morning to see the house "alive with police".

"We live in a quiet little town," she said.

"I'm surprised because I didn't see him very often, but he was a nice guy. There was a couple of nice other people."

She said the man rented rooms out in his home, and a new renter had just moved in recently.