A man charged with rape following an early morning attack on a woman in her Richmond home earlier this month has denied the charge but remains in custody pending a trial set for October.
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The 34-year-old man, whose name remains suppressed for at least the next seven days, appeared in the Nelson District Court today via audiovisual link from Christchurch, where he is in custody.
An application for bail was considered but no suitable address could be found, defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said. Details were relayed to the defendant through an interpreter.
The rape charge followed a police investigation of a complaint after a couple woke to find an intruder in their bedroom about 3am on Sunday 9 August.
Police investigating the incident later confirmed that the female occupant of the house was sexually assaulted during the incident. They then said they were investigating a rape complaint.
Judge Tony Zohrab has suppressed the man's name for the next seven days, to allow time to explain circumstances to his unwell father in Tonga, the court was told.