The defendant’s first court appearance in New Zealand took about 5 minutes.
She was remanded in custody to appear in the Auckland High Court on December 14. Name suppression continued, but the fact she was the victim’s mother can now be published, as it was widely known. Through an interpreter the woman asked to speak with the judge, but was denied before being led out of court. Arguments about the nature and extent of suppression orders from the lawyers representing the Crown, the accused and media were heard due to ‘new facts.’ All suppression orders sought by the Crown were granted.
