Taranaki woman's murder conviction quashed

The Supreme Court today ordered a retrial for a Taranaki woman convicted of murdering her former partner by crashing her car while he was clinging to the bonnet.

Cyndi Marcia Fairburn was last year sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 10 years for murdering Darin "Nardy" Maxwell, 42.

Fairburn drove her car with Mr Maxwell clinging to the bonnet for 13km until swerving into the path of a 4WD, killing him.

She took her case to the Supreme Court, arguing there may have been a miscarriage of justice.

In a judgement released today, the court allowed Fairburn's appeal and quashed her conviction, ordering a retrial.

The reasons for the judgement were suppressed.

- NZPA