Murder charge boy 'knew killer'

Karen Aim died as a result of head injuries shortly after being attacked

A teenager accused of murdering Orkney backpacker Karen Aim told a college security guard that he knew who had attacked her, a court has heard.

The 26-year-old died shortly after being attacked in a street close to the college, following a night out in the New Zealand resort of Taupo in January.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named, is accused of her murder.

Taupo Youth Court heard that police found a handbag and a baseball bat with blood on it under the accused's house.

Ms Aim was unconscious when she was found on 16 January and died shortly afterwards in hospital, as a result of head injuries.

The court heard that the day after Ms Aim's death, the accused, who is from New Zealand, told college security guard Lee Herewini that a "guy" called Brian had carried out the attack.

Distinctive bicycle

"He asked me if I had heard about the girl who had been hurt at the college," Mr Herewini said.

"I said 'yes'.

"He said he knew the person who had done it."

Mr Herewini told the court the youth said "Brian" had hit Ms Aim over the head with a baseball bat and was planning to throw her in the nearby Waikato River, but there was too much traffic.

He said the accused later told him that "Brian" had been to his house, borrowing both a bicycle and a baseball bat.

A baseball bat was recovered from under the house where the youth was living and the distinctive bicycle was also found there.

Alarm call

The guard told the court on Monday that he received an alarm call at 0212 hours on the night of 16 January.

He found a number of classroom windows had been smashed and called the local police.

An officer accompanied him as he drove round the college grounds while a second officer examined the perimeter and found Ms Aim's body.

Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch told the court that a police search of the accused youth's home discovered a camera similar to the victim's, as well as a handbag and baseball bat.

But the court heard the accused had told police that he had spent the night of the murder at home with his grandparents.

The hearing, which will decide if there is enough evidence for the case against the boy to proceed, continues.