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Gavin John Gosnell, Hayden Miles (inset) - Source: ONE News -
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The man accused of murdering Hayden Miles will defend the charge, his defence counsel announced today at Christchurch District Court.
Twenty-seven-year old Gavin John Gosnell, unemployed, has been in custody undergoing a psychiatric examination since his arrest in December.
Defence counsel Craig Ruane told Judge Paul Kellar today there were no issues arising from the psychiatric report and that Gosnell was fit to plead.
A suppression order on Gosnell's identity was lifted at his last court appearance.
He will remain in custody on the charge of murdering 15-year-old Miles, whose body was found at the Ruru Lawn Cemetery last month.
Miles was last seen on August 22 last year and his disappearance had originally been treated as a missing person's inquiry.
The teenager was under Child, Youth and Family care at the time of his disappearance.
Miles was last seen at a Cashel Street property and had called his mother in a distressed state, saying he had been attacked by three men.
Judge Kellar remanded Gosnell, who will return to court on March 23, when an announcement will be made about whether he is to be committed for trial and a pre-trial conference date set to settle trial arrangements.
Two others have been charged in relation to the murder.
An 18-year-old woman, who has name suppression, has been charged with being an accessory to murder.
She was remanded on bail in December and will reappear on February 9.
And a 35-year-old, who has name suppression, has been charged with robbing Miles of a cask of wine on the day he disappeared.
He was remanded on bail in December until March 2.
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