11 hours ago
Loafers Lodge fire: First manslaughter accused named as Marie Louise Murphy
A fire at the Wellington Loafers Lodge accommodation on 16 May 2023 killed five of the building's 92 residents.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A woman involved with the management and operations at Loafers Lodge where a fire killed five people, and one of four people charged with manslaughter, can now be named.
Marie Louise Murphy, 70, appeared at the High Court in Wellington on Friday morning.
She pleaded not guilty to all charges through her counsel and did not seek continued name suppression.
A second defendant, 75, who still has name suppression, appeared alongside her and also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Police have charged four people in total, who they allege were responsible for aspects of the building's fire safety systems.
Flames seen in the top storey of the Loafers Lodge accommodation in Adelaide Road, Wellington on 16 May 2023 .
Photo:
Supplied / Axel Dann
Each faces 10 charges of manslaughter, with two charges relating to each of the five victims.
Gregory Bruce Mein, 73, and another defendant, 58, who is also subject to name suppression, have previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.
All four defendants are remanded on bail.
A trial is currently expected to go ahead in late 2026.
Separately, a man, 50, who has name suppression, was charged with murder and arson. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due to stand trial in August.
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