Bail bid fails for murder accused
A DUNEDIN doctor accused of murdering a Dunedin teen has been denied electronically monitored bail for the second time.
Venod Skantha (30) is charged with murdering 16yearold AmberRose Rush, who was found dead in her Corstorphine home on February 2.
Skantha — then a doctor at Dunedin Hospital — was charged days later and granted permanent name suppression.
That lapsed in May after he pleaded not guilty to the charge, as well as a count of indecent assault and four of threatening to kill.
Skantha appeared in the High Court at Dunedin yesterday, where he applied for electronically monitored bail.
Justice Cameron Mander reserved his decision at the close of the hearing but hours later released his ruling declining the application.
A similar bid was made in April, when Justice Gerald Nation also refused bail.
Defence and Crown counsel made extensive submissions about the case and strength of the evidence but no details can be published in order to preserve fair trial rights.
The Medical Council database says Skantha graduated from Auckland University in 2014.
The website previously said he was registered to practise medicine as a ‘‘house officer’’ at the Southern District Health Board.
His practising certificate was due to lapse in February but his record no longer appears online.
After Skantha’s name became public, AmberRose’s mother Lisa Ann told the Otago Daily
she remained inconsol able.
‘‘I can’t deal with this on top of the loss of my child. I don’t think anyone understands,’’ she said.
Three weeks later, Mrs Rush was also found dead. Police said the circumstances were not suspicious and it is suspected to have been a suicide.
In the days following AmberRose’s death, police launched a search of waterways at Blackhead.
They later confirmed they had found ‘‘an item of interest’’. They then asked for public sightings of a silver BMW travelling between Dunedin and Balclutha early on February 3.
Skantha is scheduled to appear in court again later this month.