Boy to go on trial over NZ murder

The teenager charged with the murder of Orkney backpacker Karen Aim in New Zealand has been committed for trial.

A preliminary hearing in the Youth Court in Taupo examined three days of evidence about the 26-year-old's death.

The 15-year-old accused, who was 14 at the time of the death in January, has lodged a plea of not guilty.

The accused, who cannot be named, will stand trial at the High Court in Rotorua, although no date was set. His next appearance will be on 2 October.

Ms Aim died shortly after being attacked in a street close to the college in Taupo.

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

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

It was also told 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.

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

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