Police murder accused in court

A police officer guards the scene where Denis Norman Phillips' body was found. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with the murder of an off-duty police officer stabbed to death in his own home.

The boy appeared in Papakura Youth Court where he was remanded in custody until August 6.

Judge Sharon McAuslan suppressed all other details.

Distraught family and neighbours are baffled by the fatal attack on 59-year-old Denis Norman Phillips in his Papakura home at the weekend.

It is believed the temporary constable - sworn in to work in the police cells - was alone in his single-storey unit on Green St when he was attacked.

Detectives were called to the address about 11am on Saturday but did not reveal the dead man was a police employee until yesterday, because his South Island family could not be reached.

Mr Phillips' police colleagues held a service in his honour at the Counties-Manukau station last night.

A workmate of Mr Phillips, who also worked as an orderly at Manukau District Court, described him as "one of the boys".

"He was a really good guy, very down to earth and always joking around with us," he said. "He was pretty small so I used to call him 'Big D' as a joke."

One of Mr Phillips' cousins, Phillip Gibson, paid tribute to the cousin he last saw at a family 80th birthday party a month ago. Mr Gibson said his cousin, who worked in the military and served overseas before joining the police 12 years ago, surprised everyone by standing up and speaking in Maori.

"He got up and spoke some and gave us all a shock ... but it was nice," Mr Gibson said.

Mr Phillips was known in the neighbourhood for helping those in need, he said.

"You know the young ones and the older people, taking them in and giving them a feed or something."

Family, friends and neighbours - "just beside themselves" - attended a karakia (prayer) gathering at the house yesterday.

Neighbours were in shock at the slaying of a man who "lived life by his actions and not by making a noise".

John Watson said Mr Phillips had lived in the street for at least 10 years and was a "very good person" who could be counted on.

"Knowing the man and the way he lived his life, he was a good guy. He's not a bad guy, and I hope he hasn't been taken out for the person he is," he said.

Mr Phillips' death came as a big shock in a quiet street "where people look out for each other and their properties".

Mr Watson and another neighbour felt bad they hadn't been able to do anything.

"In some ways we feel guilty that this guy could die alone, taken down by bad guys," he said. "He did his job and he came home ... . Doesn't that make you angry? It certainly makes me angry.

"There's a dead man up the road and we should honour him. We've lost one of our own."