A man accused of going on a rampage in Upper Hutt that left a woman dead and two men seriously injured has been remanded in custody.
One of the scenes under investigation following the attacks in December last year. Photo: RNZ / Ceinwen Curtis
Retimana Nicholls, 36, made his first appearance in the High Court at Wellington this morning on one charge of murder, two of causing grievous bodily harm and a charge of assault.
He entered no plea but Justice Dobson indicated the court had hearing time available for a two-week trial in August.
The judge sought a psychiatric report on Mr Nicholls and remanded him in custody to reappear in court at the end of March.
The charges were laid after a night-time attack in December last year in which Sandra Guerin was killed and her son Thomas Guerin and another man, Kane Love were seriously injured.
Justice Dobson lifted name suppression on the axe attack victims.
The dead woman was Sandra Guerin.
Her son, Thomas Guerin, and another man, Kane Love, were seriously injured in the attack.
The woman who was assaulted was Diane Misa.
Outside court Mr Nicholls' stepfather, Rick Hepi, said the family wanted to express their condolences and aroha to all those affected by the incident.
He said his whanau was devastated and saddened by what had happened.
