Redford Kaea found not guilty of father-in-law's manslaughter

Redford Kaea in the High Court at Rotorua on trial for his father-in-law's manslaughter. Photo / Andrew Warner

Redford Kaea has been found not guilty of killing his father-in-law during a fight in Rotorua last year.

The jury in the trial began deliberations at 11.30am yesterday and delivered a unanimous not guilty verdict at 10am today.

When the verdict was read out by the jury foreman, Kaea whispered "yes" to himself and did a small fist pump.

Kaea, 26, had been on trial in the High Court at Rotorua after pleading not guilty to the manslaughter of Michael John Anderson on February 1 at a group of flats on Malfroy Rd, where they lived in separate units.

Anderson, 60, suffered severe head injuries and spent 13 days in the intensive care unit at Waikato Hospital before dying from blunt force trauma to his head.

Kaea admitted physically fighting with Anderson but says he was acting in self-defence as his father-in-law was trying to stop him from leaving the property.

Anderson died from blunt force trauma to the head. He suffered a range of injuries, including four brain bleeds, broken ribs, punctured lung and several fractures, cuts and bruises.

But Kaea's lawyer, Bill Nabney, said the jury needed to focus on one action and that was when Kaea picked up Anderson and threw him backwards, with his head hitting the concrete path.

"No one saw him punch him. He threw him to the side because he was stopping him from leaving. In a case of a few seconds, he has picked him up and thrown him and unfortunately his head hit the concrete but it only happened once. We are talking about one action, one thing done by Kaea in the context of him being attacked," Nabney told the jury in his closing address on Wednesday.

Nabney said there was no evidence to suggest Kaea intended to do any harm.

"In hindsight, he did [do harm] but hindsight is a wonderful thing."

He reminded the jury of evidence from Kelly Purcell, who drove past the fight.

In his evidence, Purcell described the "attacker" as being a man of medium build with salt and pepper-coloured frizzy hair, which fitted the description of Anderson, not Kaea.

But it was the Crown's case, presented by prosecutor Anna McConachy, that Kaea didn't use reasonable force, given the injuries Anderson suffered, and therefore it couldn't be self defence.

A Crown witness who lived at the flats, Morgan Hamiora-Smith, witnessed the fight and said Kaea was smashing Anderson with his fists before he flipped him backwards twice.

McConachy said in Kaea's own words during an interview with police, he admitted he was "mad as f**k" when he fought with Anderson.

"He didn't say he was scared as hell. He said he was mad as f***."

McConachy said it wasn't a fair fight as Kaea was twice the size and half the age.

She said while it might have started as a "full-on fight" and Anderson might have thrown the first punch, Kaea was stronger and bigger and got the better of him.

The trial was before Justice Andru Isac and a jury.

Anderson's family members declined to comment to the Rotorua Daily Post.