New Zealand's longest-running criminal trial ended yesterday with guilty verdicts against seven members of the same family.
A jury in the High Court at Auckland heard six months of evidence on 261 charges against the family of burglars in the $2 million trial.
The jury took 38 minutes to calltheir verdicts, acquitting family members of just 14 of the charges.
In the dock were brothers Rex Tukuafu, aged 40, of Manurewa, Philip Tukuafu, 47, of Manurewa, John Tukuafu, 48, Reece Tukuafu, 37, of Glenfield, Alex Tukuafu, 49, of Pukekohe, and the son of one of them, Steven Tukuafu, 25, of Tuakau.
A seventh man, Leon White, 58, of Manurewa, was absent because of sickness.
The jury heard how they stole up to $1 million of property from service stations, supermarkets and dairies.
Reporting the verdict last night One News said the judge congratulated the jury on their patience in surviving the epic trial.
"There is no one to compare your experience with because no one in the history of New Zealand law has sat on a jury as long as you have," said Judge Charles Blackie.
