Teen to remain in jail until murder trial after allegedly escaping bail

Beauen Daniel George Wallace-Loretz appeared in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / Brett Phibbs, NZ Herald

An Auckland teen charged with murder, who allegedly escaped bail and evaded authorities for four days, will remain behind bars until trial.

Beauen Daniel George Wallace-Loretz, 17, appeared this morning in the High Court at Auckland to make an application for electronically-monitored bail.

Justice Patricia Courtney declined the application and remanded the defendant through to his trial date in two months.

He and Leonard Nattrass-Berquist, 18, are accused of the murder of 54-year-old Ihaia Gillman-Harris at the Ascot Epsom Motel on December 27.

Both defendants were granted electronically monitored bail in January 20 by Justice Mark Woolford.

He ordered them to serve a 24-hour curfew with family members - Nattrass-Berquist on the North Shore and Wallace-Loretz in west Auckland.

Both were barred from using alcohol or drugs.

But police say Wallace-Loretz absconded from his bail address after cutting his electronic anklet in March.

It is understood at least one associate allegedly helped him flee the property.

But he was arrested at an Auckland house after police received a tip-off by phone.

The two teens are also accused of robbing Mr Gillman-Harris of cash, a cell phone and bank card as well as unlawfully taking his $15,000 Range Rover.