A man charged with assault following the death of a man near Dargaville can now be named.
Patrick Koti Te Pana, 42, was denied name suppression when he appeared in Dargaville District Court yesterday.
He is accused of assaulting Christopher Edwards, who died in Auckland Hospital on January 13, a day after being found with serious head injuries in his home in Te Kopuru, about 12km south of Dargaville, the Northern Advocate reports.
Te Pana's lawyer Chris Muston did not seek bail but did seek further name suppression due to his family's distress.
But Judge John McDonald said there needed to be strong reasons why the principle of open justice should be displaced, and noted that it appeared a more serious charge would be laid.
Te Pana will reappear on February 9.
NZN