Man refused bail over Lin family murders

SYDNEY (AAP) - A 47-year-old man has been formally refused bail by a Sydney court after being charged with five counts of murder.
Robert Xie, who did not appear during a briefing hearing at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, did not apply for bail through his lawyer.
It was formally refused by the magistrate.
Min "Norman" Lin, 45, Yun Li "Lily" Lin, 43, Yun Bin "Irene" Yin, 39, and two boys, aged nine and 12, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were found dead almost two years ago.
They had been beaten to death in a house at North Epping, in Sydney's north west, on July 18, 2009.
Xie was arrested about 9am on Thursday in North Epping before being taken to Parramatta Police Station for questioning.
The case will next be heard at Central Local Court on July 1.