20 Dec 2008

Teenager appears on murder charge

11:07 am on 20 December 2008

A teenage girl appeared in the Auckland District Court on Saturday charged with the murder of an elderly Bay of Plenty man.

Aged 17, she is one of three charged in relation to the death of John Rowe, 78, in his Opotiki home last month. He had severe head injuries.

The Whakatane teenager, who has name suppression, was remanded in custody to appear with her co-accused - a girl aged 15 - in the Tauranga District Court on Monday.

A man, 21, appeared in the Whakatane District Court on Saturday charged with being an accessory after the fact and attempting to defeat the course of justice. He will appear in court again on Monday.

Outside court, Mr Rowe's daughter said she was shocked at the age of the accused.