Teen accused of off-duty officer's murder in court

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A teenage boy has appeared in the Papakura youth court briefly this morning charged with the murder of off-duty police officer Denis Norman Phillips.

Judge Sharon McAuslan remanded the teen in custody until a Friday hearing back before the court.

She suppressed all details and stressed to the media that the youth court was a closed court.

Police found the body of 59-year-old Mr Phillips at his home in Green St, about 11am yesterday.

"It is with great sorrow that I advise that that man is a member of our staff," Counties Manukau police district commander Superintendent Mike Bush told a media conference.

"He is a temporary sworn officer and he has been working with us for 12 years. His company was enjoyed by his fellow staff members."

A service had been planned to be held among staff at Manukau police station last night and that there would be a further arrangements for later in the week.

Mr Phillips' death was one of two homicides in the Counties Manukau area this weekend. Early yesterday morning a 21-year-old man died after he was struck by a car during a street brawl in Papatoetoe.

There had been few homicides in the area this year before the weekend but Mr Bush said the homicide rate in the weekend was not something he was thinking about.

"It has been a very busy weekend for us but the tragedy really is for the victims and our hearts go out to the victims and to the families of these people."

- MICHAEL FIELD and NZPA