Father: Now we can go on dealing with the grief

Emily Longley. Photo / Supplied

A murder trial will examine the mysterious UK death of teenager Emily Longley - a twist her father greeted in part with a sense of relief.

"It's a whole lot of mixed emotions. I'm not happy - it's a tragedy," said Mark Longley, of Whakatane.

"The whole thing is a tragedy, and it can't make me feel happy. But I am pleased that this stage of the police investigation is over.

"We can go on now dealing with the grief of losing Emily. That's what the relief is."

Emily, a 17-year-old former Auckland student, was found dead two months ago in the bed of a former lover, Elliot Vince Turner, who was charged yesterday with her murder.

Emily attended Westlake Girls High School and Takapuna Grammar during her time in Auckland, and the news of her death sparked an outpouring of grief and sympathy from hundreds of former classmates.

She was remembered as a bubbly and popular girl who was active in school rowing teams and also modelled for Creme magazine.

But for two months, Emily's body has remained with a coroner in Britain after a police toxicology test failed to identify what caused her death.

Some answers were finally delivered yesterday, when Bournemouth police said Turner had been charged with murder and perverting the course of justice.

He appeared before Bournemouth magistrates late last night (New Zealand time).

The court heard that Turner failed to phone emergency services after Emily died, and tried to get his mother to change what she had told the police.

He was remanded in custody until next Thursday.

His mother, Anita Turner, 50, and father, Leigh Turner, 53, were also charged with perverting the course of justice and also appeared in court last night.

Police told the court the couple also failed to phone emergency services after Emily died, and removed and destroyed evidence relating to her death.

Their case was adjourned until October 3.

Emily had been staying with her grandparents in south England and attending a local college, and Mr Longley said family members in Britain and New Zealand were coping with their loss.

"We're all just dealing with this now. We're all dealing with the loss of Emily," he said.

"We just want to get on with grieving for Emily, who was my beautiful daughter."

He said a memorial service for Emily would be held in Auckland. "We're pleased this stage has come to a close, and the police have done a fantastic job so far."

Two weeks ago, Mr Longley spoke out against an interview in which Turner said he was devastated because he had been preparing to propose to Emily.

Mr Longley said neither Emily nor anyone in the family had even considered Turner to be a boyfriend.

"As a father, to hear Elliot talk about how difficult it is for him now just disgusts me," he said at the time.

He told the Herald yesterday: "But I'm certainly not happy that [Turner] is in that position [charged with murder]. It doesn't bring Emily back."

Just days before Emily was found dead, she revealed on Facebook that she had been hounded by phone calls from a stalker.

Turner had written in response: "It's because they know you're single now."

- Additional reporting: Bournemouth Echo