A Chinese man who cut his girlfriend's throat from ear to ear and stabbed her friend to death, will appeal his double murder convictions.
Wen Hui Cui, 21, was convicted by a jury in the High Court in Auckland yesterday of murdering Bin Lin, 21, known as Ruby, and fatally stabbing her friend, Ge Li, 20, in the heart on April 13, last year.
The jury also found him guilty of attempting to murder Jun Xin, 22, also a friend of Ruby, by stabbing him in the chest.
Today his lawyer, Barry Hart, said he would appeal the convictions but the appeal was unlikely to be lodged until after Cui was sentenced in the High Court in Auckland on July 26.
During the trial Mr Hart said Cui was acting in self defence when he cut Ruby's throat from ear to ear after she said she was leaving him.
As Ruby lay dead on a bed in the North Shore house, Cui cleaned his bloody clothes and went outside to where her two friends were waiting, and stabbed them both.
The Crown said Cui was jealous and possessive and could not bear to give Ruby up. After stabbing Ruby he wanted to make sure there were no witnesses, crown prosecutor Ross Burns said.
However, Mr Hart said Cui acted in self defence when Ruby picked up a knife and tried to stab him. He instinctively tried to defend himself.
Outside, the two men insulted his mother, threatened him and when one went for something in his pocket, Cui acted in self defence, Mr Hart said.
Mr Hart today would not reveal the grounds for his appeal against the convictions.
"I would rather not say the grounds at the moment.
"There will be a number of issues about the case which we will be raising in the appeal."
He said Cui was "obviously disappointed" over the jury's verdict.
Cui was remanded in custody until July 26 for sentencing.
- NZPA
Chinese man to appeal double murder conviction
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