Man charged with murder of Christchurch prostitute

By Cullen Smith


A 28-year-old Christchurch man has been charged with the murder of a prostitute whose semi-naked body was found dumped in the Avon River yesterday.


The unemployed man also face charges of rape and kidnapping.


His arrest this afternoon followed an attack on the 24-year-old woman in an inner-city carpark early yesterday morning.


Witnesses said they heard the woman pleading for her life as she was run over repeatedly by a car.


Detective Senior Sergeant Tom Fitzgerald, heading a police inquiry team of more than 40 staff, said a post mortem today showed that her injuries and the cause of death were "consistent with being struck by a vehicle".


Police believe the woman was dead when she was dumped in the river.


Mr Fitzgerald said police were not looking for anyone else in connection with the homicide investigation, but inquiries would continue over several days.


The white Honda Integra car allegedly involved in the incident was recovered by police late this afternoon.


Mr Fitzgerald said police now believed a stolen white Honda hatchback found burnt-out in McLeans Island Rd on the northwestern outskirts of Christchurch early yesterday was not involved in the homicide.


Neither were they interested in sightings of a grey stationwagon seen in the McLeans Island area about the time the Honda was reported burning.


Mr Fitzgerald said the slain Christchurch woman was "known to work on the street" but he declined to name her or reveal any further details about her.


"We're still informing next of kin," he said.


It was "possible" she was working as a prostitute on Wednesday night. The woman and the arrested man were not known to each other.


Mr Fitzgerald said the woman had not been reported missing.


He praised his inquiry team for the long hours they had devoted to the homicide investigation.


"They've basically worked straight through from the time of the offence and as a result a man has been arrested," he said.


Asked if the arrest had resulted from information provided by the public, Mr Fitzgerald said: "Information we get from the public is always helpful, but on this occasion the result that led to this person was good, sustained detective work."


Asked if police were satisfied only one person was involved after initial reports of two men being seen with the woman in the Christchurch Squash Club carpark, he said inquiries were still continuing. There had been several conflicting witness statements.


Mr Fitzgerald said police were still interested in hearing from anyone about the movements of a white Honda Integra in and around Christchurch on Wednesday night and early yesterday morning.


The car was also understood to have been driven in North Canterbury early yesterday morning.


Christchurch Prostitutes Collective regional co-ordinator Anna Reed said the homicide, the third in Christchurch this year involving sex workers, was worrying and sex workers were scared.


"Like after Suzie Sutherland (strangled in April), there's a terrible feeling that 'it could have been me'," she said. "We don't know whether she knew the people involved or whether it was a random thing... or if she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."


Ms Reed said sex workers were "very upset".


"It's a terrible thing. It was just such a violent, terrible thing to do to anybody."


The trial of Jule Patrick Burns for Ms Sutherland's murder was aborted earlier this week after seven days of evidence in the High Court in Christchurch


Justice Lester Chisholm suppressed the reasons for his decision and ordered a retrial next year.


- NZPA