Mt Roskill shooting: Third man charged with murder of Auckland barber Brian James

Authorities have charged a third man with murder following the death of Auckland barber Brian James in the days leading up to Christmas last year.

Robin Leota appeared in person at the High Court at Auckland today as he pleaded not guilty before Justice Sally Fitzgerald to two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous body injury and one count of murder.

Leota was arrested in January and initially charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder. That charge, however, has now been withdrawn by the Crown in lieu of the new ones.

He now faces the same charges as co-defendants Apisaloma Timoti and Angelo Junior Thomsen, who pleaded not guilty in February. Both co-defendants were excused from attending today's hearing.

Brian James, 23, worked at Moe's Barbershop in Mt Eden. Photo / Supplied

James, 23, was described as a promising young barber who had worked at Moe's Barber shop in Mr Eden for about six months before his death.

"He was a very strong person and he was well loved," Te Kahukoka-Rose Yelash, the cousin of James' girlfriend, said at the time of his death. "He was cheeky, very cheeky, but it was all love. He had our backs through everything, he just wanted the best for everyone."

Police, whose scene examination extended through Christmas Day, said at the time that James had been shot around 9.30pm on December 23. Two others - a man in his 30s and another in his 50s - were taken to hospital after being attacked with a machete, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said.

Homicide and forensic police at Glass Rd, Mt Roskill on Christmas Eve. Photo / Alex Burton

"We don't believe that this was a random attack," Beard told media at the time, adding that those injured appeared to be "targeted".

A joint trial for all three men has been scheduled for July 2023.