Three accused over two murders appear in court

The depositions hearing for three Bay of Plenty men accused of murdering Darrell Crawford and William Taikato last year began in Tauranga today.

Mark Haimona Puata, 50, of Te Puke, is accused of killing both.

Welcome Bay men, John Aitken, 33, and David Peter James Anderson, 41, are charged with Mr Crawford's murder.

All three were arrested last September following months of police inquiries into the separate disappearances of Mr Crawford, 36, in August 2007, and Mr Taikato, 40, just before Christmas 2007.

The hearing was expected to last most of the week.

- NZPA