Upper Hutt axe attack: Accused pleads not guilty

The victims of the Blueberry Grove attack can now be named, after their alleged attacker appeared in court today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The man accused of killing an Upper Hutt mother and injuring three others in an axe attack late last year has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Retimana Te Korou Nicholls appeared in the High Court in Wellington today.

He denied charges of murder, grievous bodily harm, wounding and assault.

Sandra Guerin, 55, was killed following an attack in her Blueberry Grove home, in the Upper Hutt suburb of Timberlea last December.

Ms Guerin's son Thomas Guerin, 20, was also injured at the family's home, and Kane Love, 24, was attacked at a nearby property.

Both young men were hospitalised with serious injuries as a result of the attack.

Another woman, Diane Misa, was also found injured nearby.

The public gallery was full during his brief appearance and as he left some members of the public called out "coward".

Justice Simon France remanded Nicholls in custody until a callover hearing on May 25.