ONE of two men accused of kidnapping and bashing an associate at Hamilton South, before their mate and fellow kidnapper, 51-year-old Valentino Taufaao, was stabbed to death - will face a trial in Newcastle District Court.
Timothy Onslow was represented by solicitor Ashleigh Myers when his matter was mentioned in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday and he was committed for trial on charges of take or detain in company with intent to gain advantage and occasion actual bodily harm and reckless grievous bodily harm in company.
Four other serious kidnapping and assault charges were withdrawn.
Mr Onslow will next appear in Newcastle District Court on June 4 to get a trial date. Mr Onslow and Brendon Cook are accused of following Killian Reynolds in two cars, chasing him down on foot at Hamilton, bundling him into a car and taking him to a unit at Hamilton South where he was detained and repeatedly bashed.
Mr Cook, who has not entered any pleas, will next appear in court on June 10.
Mr Reynlods was initially charged with manslaughter over Mr Taufaao's death, but the DPP withdrew the charge in January this year.
