Helen Gregory was found dead in her home in January. Photo: RNZ / Ashleigh McCaull
- 79-year-old Helen Gregory was found dead in her Khandallah home on 24 January
- A 52-year-old woman was arrested for her murder in the following month
- Defence lawyers sought to retain name suppression for the woman saying publication risked a "firestorm" of media coverage
- The accused's husband is also seeking name suppression despite not being charge in relation to the death
- The trial is scheduled to begin in June 2026
A woman accused of murdering an elderly Wellington resident is fighting to keep her name suppressed.
Helen Gregory, who was 79, was found dead in her Khandallah home in January.
Defence counsel Hunter de Groot told Wellington High Court on Friday that naming the woman risked sparking a "firestorm" of media coverage that could prejudice perceptions in the lead up to her trial.
He said any public interest served by naming the accused could flow in both directions and the ultimate public interest should be in assuring a fair trial.
Justice Karen Grau questioned de Groot's comparison of the level of interest surrounding the case as being similar to the trial of Auckland doctor Philip Polkinghorne.
She doubted "minute by minute" coverage of the events would be possible in the pre-trial stages of the case.
The woman's husband also sought name suppression with lawyers citing his vulnerable mental and physical state which had been worsened by the extreme stress and pressure of the events.
Lawyer Sam Campbell - acting for the husband - said naming either party risked casting suspicion on the husband despite an absence of charges against the man.
Campbell said while accredited media could be expected to responsibly confirm he wasn't facing charges, that would not be the reflected in gossip and rumours circulating about the small community where Gregory had lived.
Justice Karen Grau reserved her decision and trial is scheduled to begin in June 2026.