Teenage girl to stand trial for Gunnedah murder in July 2020 after prosecutors rejected manslaughter plea

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via video link from juvenile detention in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney on Friday during a closed court session.

The teenage girl formally denied her single murder charge during an arraignment.

"Not guilty, but guilty of manslaughter Your Honour," she told the court.

Justice Robert Hulme asked Crown prosecutor David Scully if the state prosecuting authority, the DPP, accepted that plea.

"The Crown does not," Mr Scully replied.

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The teenager will front a murder trial in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney in November, after the court heard the Crown consented to have the case heard by a judge alone and not a jury.

The trial is expected to take about a week and family members will be allowed to watch on via video link.

Public defender Stuart Bouveng told the court the "actus reus type issues" - the physical elements of the alleged offence - were not in dispute.

He told the court there was only one main issue he could foresee the defence possibly objecting to during the trial.

The court heard witnesses expected to be required would include the police officer-in-charge of the investigation as well as two psychiatric experts.

Justice Hulme said he would like "some thought given" to the possibility the experts could give evidence simultaneously to save time.

Mr Scully also offered to hand up the relevant Crown material in a brief for the judge to consider.

The Crown maintained the trial may stretch out but Justice Hulme was optimistic it could be finalised in a week.

"It's my anticipation it will be less than that but we will see how we go," Justice Hulme said.

"There might be a little time between the conclusion of closing addresses and a judgement being delivered."

The court will assess the progress of the matter as the prosecution and defence hold discussions.

The teenage girl has remained in custody since she was arrested and charged with murder in the hours after a young girl was found dead at a property on the outskirts of Gunnedah on the morning of July 8 last year.

Many details cannot be reported for legal reasons, including injuries sustained by the alleged victim.

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