A woman has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a New Zealand firefighter whose body was found in the NSW Hunter region three years ago.
Ian Pullen, 43, was volunteering with the firefighting effort in September 2018 when police allege he was struck by a car on a road at Glenridding, near Singleton.
Police allege the car returned to the scene and Nicole Mason got out and struck Mr Pullen on the head with an object.
Mason and three co-accused were arraigned in the Newcastle District Court on Thursday.
The 32-year-old pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, to an alternative charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and to concealing a serious indictable offence said to have been committed by Joshua Knight.
Knight, 30, pleaded not guilty to failing to stop and give assistance after a vehicle he was driving hit Mr Pullen, causing his death.
He's alleged to have been behind the wheel of a white Toyota Hilux ute which struck Mr Pullen in the early hours of September 29.
Lilli-Jane Sales, 23, and Ivy-Jean Ward, 28, pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence said to have been committed by Knight.
Judge Roy Ellis was told that at least three of the accused will be applying to have separate trials.
He said if the four accused are tried together, the estimated four-to-six-week trial could not be listed until 2023.
No date will be set until the separate trials applications are dealt with early next year.
