Trial set for murder of sex worker

Peter Steven Waihape has been sent to the High Court for trial on a charge of murdering a Christchurch sex worker in December, and the kidnap and rape of another woman four days earlier.

The 28-year-old unemployed man declined to plead when he appeared at a brief depositions hearing in the Christchurch District Court today.

He was remanded in custody to a pre-trial conference in the High Court on August 4.

Waihape faces five charges alleging the kidnap and rape of a woman on December 11, and then the kidnap, rape, and murder of the 24-year-old sex worker on December 15.

Police have alleged that the sex worker was run down by a car and her body was later found in the Avon River with her wrists bound.

Crown prosecutor Chris Lange handed up the evidence as a block, rather than having it handed up one witness at a time and the hearing was over in 15 minutes.

Defence counsel Leuatea Iosefa had agreed to the procedure.

The Crown announced to the court that statutory suppression orders applied to the names of both victims.

The name of the sex worker has previously been released through the police at the request of the family, and has been published several times.

- NZPA