Court coincidence involving victim, accused

CHRISTCHURCH: A man killed at an east Christchurch property on Sunday was to have appeared in court yesterday on charges of assaulting police, wilful damage and resisting arrest.

But in a grim twist, his alleged killer was in the dock instead.

Michael Joseph Graham (57) died at a house in England St,

Linwood, on Sunday.

The active charges he was facing were withdrawn yesterday morning.

Soon after, the man charged with murdering him appeared in the same court.

Nathan Te Hana (46) was arrested on Tuesday night.

Court documents reveal he lived at the same property as Mr

Graham.

A duty lawyer asked for name suppression on the grounds that Te Hana wanted to tell his family directly of his plight.

Judge Stephen O'Driscoll declined name suppression and remanded Te Hana in custody without plea to the High Court at Christchurch on February 4. — The New Zealand Herald