Accused bailed before murder
A man accused of murdering a tenant at a social housing unit had hours earlier been granted police bail for allegedly stealing a car.
It was not until after the fatal stabbing that police were informed of accusations that he had also strangled and used a weapon to seriously injure the man at the time he took the car.
Kenneth Daniel Hawkins died at his Christchurch home on April 24. A 28-year-old man has been charged with his murder.
Court documents allege that on that same day, the murderaccused stole a man’s car from Akaroa, robbed a second man of his car in Christchurch and gave false information to police.
It can now be revealed the
28-year-old was arrested earlier on April 24 for allegedly stealing a
$40,000 car the day before. He was taken to the police station and released on police bail.
The Press understands it was not until after Hawkins’ death that the man whose car was taken on April 23 told police the full extent of what happened, alleging the accused had also strangled him and used a weapon against him in committing the crime.
Police then charged the murder accused with robbing the man of the car and cellphones, and using a weapon to cause him grievous bodily harm. He was also charged with strangling the man by applying pressure to his throat and neck.
In a statement police said they ‘‘do not have any concerns around any decisions regarding the bail of the defendant on the morning of April 24’’.
Hawkins, aged in his 50s, lived alone in a unit at a new social housing complex managed by the O¯ tautahi Community Housing Trust which opened in January.
The murder accused, whose name is suppressed, lived at the same social housing complex.
Hawkins’ partner, Nyomi Coleman, said she had not been coping since his death and could not stand being out in public. ‘‘I love and miss Dan so much. What I would trade to have him here.’’ Coleman previously told The Press she wanted to know why someone would viciously attack the ‘‘cuddly teddy bear’’ her daughter thought of as a father. ‘‘It hurts more . . . the not knowing why it happened.’’
Coleman said the man she knew was kind, caring, passionate and genuine, telling her often that he loved her. He would take them out to the beach, on bush walks and on long drives, she said. Although he was a former Aotearoa Mongrel Mob gang associate, Hawkins had no associations with criminals at the time of his death, Coleman said.
‘‘Everyone just assumed that his death was gang related, but that wasn’t in his life. He didn’t deserve this.’’