Amber-Rose murder accused to apply for bail

Amber-Rose Rush and her mother Lisa Ann. Photo: Supplied
Amber-Rose Rush and her mother Lisa Ann. Photo: Supplied
The Dunedin health professional accused of murdering a 16-year-old girl is set to apply to be released on bail.

The 30-year-old defendant, who allegedly killed teenager Amber-Rose Rush on February 2, will apply for electronically monitored bail at a hearing on April 9.

The date for the bail application was set at a short hearing at the High Court at Dunedin this morning where the defendant was represented by defence counsel Marie Taylor-Cyphers and Justice Gerald Nation appeared by audio-visual link.

At the defendant's last appearance before the High Court at Dunedin on March 6, he pleaded not guilty to murder and four charges of threatening to kill.

His denials were so vehement, he had to be told by the registrar to wait until the charges were read before he entered the pleas.

At that appearance Justice Nation declined an application to continue name suppression, but this decision was appealed

The Court of Appeal will now set a date for the issue to be argued.

Under such circumstances, suppression must continue, in case the appeal is successful.

Amber-Rose was found dead by family members at her Corstorphine home the day after her alleged murder.

Police said her alleged attacker was known to her and they were not seeking anyone else.

Her mother Lisa Ann voiced her heartache on social media.

''How do I put into words what you mean to me my baby girl. You are literally my other half, my soul, my heart, my everything,'' she wrote.

In the days following Amber-Rose's death, police searched waterways at Blackhead and confirmed they found ''an item of interest'', understood to be a cellphone.

They later asked for public sightings of a silver BMW travelling between Dunedin and Balclutha in the early hours of February 3.

Amber-Rose was farewelled at a colourful funeral on February 10 where she was described as the ''life of the party'', who acted tough but was a ''marshmallow'' on the inside.

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