Two teenagers accused of killing journalist Phillip Cottrell have reappeared in court, and a suppression order banning photographs of the younger of the pair has been lifted.
Nicho Waipuka, 19, and Manuel Robinson, 18, appeared in the High Court in Wellington for a pre-trial hearing on Friday.
They were arrested in December after Mr Cottrell, 43, a Radio New Zealand journalist, was found bashed in a central Wellington street.
Mr Cottrell died in hospital the next day.
Justice Forrest Miller suppressed the content of the hearing, and reserved his ruling about evidence that will be admissible in the teens' trial, which is expected to take place in December.
However, he lifted suppression of the publication of images of Robinson, which had been in place since his first appearance in court.
Robinson's lawyer Mike Antunovic opposed lifting the order, telling the court his client had recently been granted a change to his bail conditions, allowing him to work two days a week in a store owned by his step-father.
He was also allowed to go to a nearby gym on those two days.
Mr Antunovic said it was in Robinson's best interests that his image remain suppressed, because otherwise members of the public would recognise him at work or in the street.
"It could well result in him no longer being able to go off to work ... There will be hardship suffered by him," Mr Antunovic said.
Robinson, who was allowed to sit in the public gallery with family throughout the hearing, while Waipuka - who remains in custody - sat in the dock, cried as Mr Antunovic suggested his photo would accompany salacious media headlines about the case.
However, Justice Miller said allowing his image to be published was important to open justice, and as identification was no longer an issue, it would not affect Robinson having a fair trial.
Robinson hid his face under a cap while his mother shielded him from waiting media as the family left the court.
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