Teen guilty of Libby Templeman's murder

Libby Templeman. Photo / Supplied

Tears are flowing at the High Court in Whangarei this evening after a jury found a 16-year-old boy guilty of murdering Northland schoolgirl Liberty "Libby" Templeman in November 2008.

Emotions boiled over after the jury of six men and six women delivered an 11-1 guilty verdict around 6pm this evening, after ten hours of deliberation, resulting in hugely emotional scenes.

Liberty's mother walked out of the courtroom after the verdicts were delivered, followed by her father. They were later seen being hugged by Crown lawyers.

The 16-year-old, whose name will be suppressed until midday tomorrow, was found to have murdered Libby, 15, by hitting her, strangling her and dragging her while she was unconscious into the Wairoa Stream at Kerikeri, where she drowned.

He was also found guilty of indecent assault.

When it looked likely that the jury would not be able to agree on a unanimous decision, Justice Raynor Asher advised them that under NZ law a majority verdict - 11 out of 12 in agreement - would be allowed.

Justice Asher told the jurors a retrial could be possible after they admitted they were struggling to reach a verdict.

In summing up the case yesterday, Justice Asher told the jurors they must keep an open mind.

He told them to put aside any sympathy they might feel for the Templeman family - and any they might have for the accused boy and his family.

"You must not assume that the accused is guilty simply because he has lied on a number of occasions ... People lie for various reasons - to avoid suspicion, to protect someone else or out of embarrassment or confusion."

Justice Asher gave the jury handouts explaining the legal aspects of the charges. The sheets also explained the law on manslaughter.

Earlier, Crown lawyer Mike Smith addressed the jury, telling them they would need to make their own decision on whether they believed the witnesses heard during the trial.

The boy gave evidence on Wednesday. Mr Smith said yesterday that the boy's story was full of inconsistencies.

"Lies," Mr Smith said.

"There's no other way away from it - a story that evolved and changes as the police zeroed in on who was with Liberty and what had happened to her. As the circumstances started to point towards him, different stories ... and a trail of deceit that continued right up until [Wednesday]."

In her closing address, defence lawyer Catherine Cull said: "Yes, the accused caused her death ... That was caused by an unlawful act but he did not have either of the murderous intentions that Mr Smith is urging you to accept.

"He made the most tragic and most silly decision to try to conceal what he thought was a body and it is that decision - in placing her, or in putting her, in the stream - that ultimately caused her death, but he did not do that action with the intent to kill her."

She told the jurors they could not be sure beyond reasonable doubt that the boy meant to kill Libby.

"He was a 14-year-old in a panic. He did not want to get into trouble."