Monty Knight's alleged killer's hearing adjourned to determine if she's mentally fit for trial

A court hearing for a Northland woman accused of murdering well-known Kaitāia identity Monty Knight has been adjourned so an expert can determine if she is mentally fit to go on trial.

The 57-year-old, who has interim name suppression, was to have had a trial callover hearing in the High Court at Whangārei on Friday.

However, at the request of Crown prosecutor Richard Annandale, the hearing was rescheduled to early December.

He said that was to give psychiatrist Erik Monasterio time to work on a report examining "the issue of insanity".

Annandale said the extra time was needed because Dr Monasterio had much to do.

"The expert is a busy expert and has a large number of matters to attend to," he said.

The judge set a new callover date in December to monitor progress on the report.

A jury trial date had already been set for 5 July next year.

The accused was represented by Sharlene Pilkington, acting for high-profile Whangārei lawyer Arthur Fairley.

Monty Knight died at his home near Kaitāia in November last year. He had recently turned 80.

Ever the entrepreneur, Knight started his retail career with a record shop on the town's main street, then expanded into electronics, appliances and beds.

He took over the family business, Knights the Jewellers, and opened a second outlet in Kerikeri.

When told it was impossible to grow grapes in Kaitāia, Knight proved the doubters wrong by establishing an award-winning winery, Okahu Estate.

He was inducted into the Northland Business Hall of Fame in 2010.

Knight was elected to the Far North District Council in 2010 and the Northland Regional Council in 2015, and ran for the Far North mayoralty a number of times.

He had another tilt at winning a seat on the Far North District Council in the 2025 local elections.

Tributes after his death described him as "relentlessly optimistic", "a serial entrepreneur" and an unwavering champion for his home town of Kaitāia.