Kaikohe manslaughter accused appears in court, granted name ...

Abigail Dougherty

The 52-year-old man accused of killing Linda Woods, 71.

On June 1, 71-year-old Kaikohe local Linda Woods was killed during a home invasion that police believe was “sexually motivated” A 52-year-old man was charged with manslaughter in relation to the death on Tuesday, as well as aggravated assault and burglary The man appeared in Kaikohe District Court on Wednesday The arrest came just hours after police swarmed a property on the same street as Woods’ home

The man accused of 71-year-old Linda Woods’ manslaughter has appeared in the Kaikohe District Court.

The man, who has been granted interim name suppression, was dressed in a blue boiler suit and looked down throughout his appearance on Wednesday morning.

Whānau of the 52-year-old man shouted “we still love you” as he was led away from court.

He appeared before Judge Greg Davies and was remanded in custody without a plea until his next appearance in the High Court in Whangārei on June 23.

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Defence counsel Catherine Cull did not seek bail for the man, however she did apply for interim name suppression on his behalf.

Although the judge initially said – since Kaikohe was a “small community where rumours, gossip and innuendo are rife” – he would not grant the defendant name suppression, he accepted Cull’s argument an interim order should be granted until the man’s next court appearance.

RICHARD EDMONDSON/Stuff

Linda Woods, left, pictured in 2010, will be laid to rest on Wednesday.

“It’s important inappropriate speculation is not cast in relation to those who live in the vicinity of the deceased,” Judge Davies said.

The interim order will remain in place until June 23.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Russell Price only sought to suppress the draft summary of facts, which Judge Davies granted.

“This is an active inquiry, with more inquiries ongoing,” Price said.

Across Kaikohe on Wednesday, Woods’ whānau were set to gather for her burial at Aperahama Church at midday, following a private ceremony at their home.

Kaikohe-Hokianga councillor John Vujcich said he hoped Wednesday would bring “closure to Linda’s family”.

“We’re a small community, and the past week has been very upsetting for all of us. A lot of people knew Linda – me included – so the whole thing has been truly tragic,” Vujcich told Stuff.

Police previously said Woods was “attempting to intervene to assist her family members who were also inside the property” when she died on June 1.

Police said they were called to the home on Taraire Street at 11.41pm after reports an intruder was found inside the property.

A “struggle” took place after a man was discovered in one of the occupant’s bedrooms, they said.

It’s understood Woods shared the home with four generations of her whānau, all of whom are female. Police said they believed this could have been why the offender targeted Woods’ home.

On Monday, police announced they had made a “significant breakthrough” in the case, after DNA from the offender had been located at the scene.

Police said they would be going “door to door” to try and “generate as much information as we can”, as well as collecting DNA samples to find a match to the offender.

On Tuesday morning, a scene guard, detectives and forensics officers could be seen coming and going from an address just four doors down from Woods’ home.

Abigail Dougherty

The 52-year-old accused of Linda Woods’ manslaughter will appear at Kaikohe District Court on Wednesday.

By Tuesday afternoon, police announced that a 52-year-old man had been arrested in relation to Woods’ death.

Although police said they weren’t seeking anyone else in relation to the death, they said they would be continuing to make inquiries over the coming days.

Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston thanked the community for their cooperation throughout the investigation, and said that police were “pleased” to have brought a “resolution” to Woods’ whānau.

Abigail Dougherty/Stuff

Police cordoned off a property just four doors down from Linda Woods’ home on Taraire St in the Far North settlement of Kaikohe after Linda Woods on Tuesday.

“Her death was a tragedy, and we know that this has been felt deeply throughout the community,” Johnston said.

“We hope this arrest will bring some comfort to both Linda’s family and to the wider community in Kaikohe.”