Woman accused of murder of Wellington man Matthew Stevens denied bail

Two men and a woman are charged with the murder of Matthew Stevens. Photo / supplied

A woman who, along with two men, is accused of the murder of Wellingtonian Matthew Stevens has pleaded not guilty and been denied bail.

At the High Court in Wellington today, Justice Simon France remanded Kelly Leigh Crook in custody.

She will appear for a case review hearing on April 10 and a trial call over on June 8.

Together with Stuart Graham Wilton and Darrin John Wilkie-Morris, she is accused of murdering Mr Stevens, whose body and crashed car were found on Paekakariki Hill Rd on November 28.

As the charge of murder against Crook was read out and she pleaded not guilty, some of Mr Stevens' distraught family and friends in the public gallery gasped and cried.

Crook's co-defendants were also supposed to appear this morning for the electronic bail application.

Traffic problems prevented those two men arriving in court from jail in time.
They will also be remanded in custody until April.

Justice France said he hoped Crook's trial would begin before the end of the year but a trial date may only be available in the first quarter of 2016.