A man who is under interim name suppression due to his mental illness has been denied bail.

He appeared before Justice of the Peace John Whitta on Thursday at the Criminal Court in Avarua and was advised to seek legal counsel.

Senior police prosecutor Fairoa Tararo said he had also advised the defendant’s family that he needed to be relocated as the victim resided in the same area.

Senior sergeant Tararo argued that the defendant faces a serious assault charge with intent to injure, and there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again.

He said the family needed to seriously consider where the defendant would be bailed to.

In another matter, a man accused of burglary, Tereapii Greig Mose, who appeared in court for a separate charge of carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, was granted bail.

In February, Mose, through his then lawyer Michelle Tangimama, denied the charge of breaking into a building in Arorangi with the intention to commit a crime on November 11, 2023.

He was held in custody since December 2023 and then granted bail in February before being arrested and held in custody for the new charge.

Mose, who said his lawyer Tangimama had withdrawn from representing him, was advised to find a new lawyer.

He is on bail with the conditions to follow a curfew between 7pm-7am, to reside at his Betela residence, not to interfere with witnesses or complainants and to abstain from consuming alcohol.

Both matters have been adjourned to today, June 27.