- Home
- What?s?on
- Observations
- Police?watch
- Home?security
- Advice
- Legal?directory
- Search?archives
- Contacts
Psychiatric report ordered for murder accused
A psychiatric report has been ordered for a Spreydon man charged with murder over the death of a 47-year-old woman found at a house in Cobham Street, Spreydon, late yesterday afternoon.
The unemployed 54-year-old was charged with the murder of the woman at a Christchurch District Court appearance in the Rangiora Court House today.
Police were called to the house about 5.30pm yesterday and began interviewing a man who was at the address.
The man appeared before Judge Raoul Neave and was remanded in custody at Hillmorton Hospital without plea to appear again at Rangiora on October 12.
Defence counsel Craig Ruane told the court before the man appeared that he had difficulty getting legal instructions. A psychiatric assessment was done while the man was waiting in the cells and a letter from the doctor was handed to the judge.
When the case was called, Ruane said he had been unable to get any sensible instructions and had not been able to get details to complete a legal aid application for the man.
Judge Raoul Neave granted interim name suppression and remanded the man for a psychiatric report under the Criminal Procedures (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act.
The report will cover the question of whether he is fit to plead, and whether he was insane at the time.
?I would imagine it is likely these matters are closely linked,? said the judge.
He said the remand took into account the doctor?s letter which stressed the need for immediate treatment, and he requested the Legal Services Agency to assign a defence counsel if possible.
