Te Kopuru bashing accused named

File photo / NZ Herald

The man charged with the assault of a Te Kopuru man, who died in Auckland Hospital, has been denied further name suppression and remanded in custody to his next appearance.

Patrick Koti Te Pana, 42, did not make a bail application when he appeared in Dargaville District Court yesterday and was remanded in custody until February 9.

He is charged with assaulting Christopher Edwards, 61, who died in Auckland Hospital at 4am on January 13 after life support was withdrawn the previous evening.

Mr Edwards was found unconscious, with serious head injuries, in his West Coast Rd home around 7pm the previous day.

After being taken to Dargaville Hospital by ambulance Mr Edwards was flown to Whangarei Hospital by the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter, then flown in a critical condition to Auckland Hospital where he had surgery.

It is understood the man was known to Mr Edwards, whose funeral was held yesterday. Assigned counsel Chris Muston made no bail application acknowledging the likelihood of further charges being laid by the police, possibly at Te Pana's next appearance.

He did seek an extension of the interim name suppression granted on Friday. Mr Muston said the Te Pana's family was already distressed and this was heightened further by yesterday's funeral. He said the police had not opposed suppression and asked "for the court's indulgence until the situation settles down for my client".

Judge McDonald said the principle of open justice and the interests of the community at large needed to be taken into account when considering a name suppression application and there needed to be strong reasons for this principle to be displaced.

He said the defendant was charged with assault under the Crimes Act. The victim had died as a result of the assault.

"From the information before me the cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma to the head. Mr Muston has already submitted the defendant will in all probability face a more serious charge," Judge McDonald said. "As presiding judge it is up to me, not the police, to determine whether name suppression will be granted. The fact the family [of the defendant] is distressed is not out of the ordinary ... and the funeral today is not sufficient reason for me to displace ... name suppression is refused."