Guilty verdict for Papatoetoe murder

Stuart Martin Harrison has been found guilty in the High Court at Auckland of murdering Punoua Harvey Tourangi, also know as Punoua Cecil, during a melee outside the Caltex service station in Papatoetoe in March last year.

Riot police who closed down an out-of-control party literally stumbled across the dying 22-year-old as they "herded" partygoers down the road.

The Crown, represented by Richard Marchant and Steve Haszard, claimed that Harrison, aged 20, of Manurewa "calmly" straddled the already injured man as he lay on the ground and thrust a large knife into his temple.

Harrison was remanded in custody by Justice Colin Nicholson for sentencing in December.