Jury to decide if Samuel Pou murdered Whangārei woman Bridget Simmonds

Missing woman Bridget Simmonds, who was 42 when she disappeared in February 2019. Photo / File</note>

The jury in the case of Samuel Pou - accused of murdering Whangārei woman Bridget Simmonds - will return to court this morning to work towards a verdict.

Their deliberations had a delayed start yesterday after concerns were raised over contact with a juror.

Justice Christine Gordon QC told the court the issues with a juror were raised "properly and responsibly" with her and were eventually resolved in chambers.

The jury of six men and six women retired on Thursday afternoon in the High Court at Whangārei to finish determining whether Samuel Pou, 58, intended to kill Simmonds when he "fiercely and violently" assaulted her.

The jury is deliberating about whether Samuel Hemuera Pou (pictured) is guilty of murdering Whangārei woman Bridget Simmonds. Photo / File

It followed a three-week trial which heard the Crown allege Pou killed Simmonds and buried her body in a shallow grave on farmland on Wilson Rd in Parakao, sometime between February 23, 2019, and March 16, 2019.

It's alleged he punched Simmonds more than 100 times for over an hour that led to her death.

Te Koha Samuel Pou was charged with dishonestly using Simmond's bank card and helping his uncle avoid arrest.

Te Koha Samuel Pou appeared in the Whangārei High Court dock yesterday alongside his uncle Samuel Pou. Photo / File

Family and friends of both Simmonds and Pou waited in the courthouse for three hours while the issue with a juror was resolved before being able to take their seats in the public gallery.

Once inside they heard Justice Gordon direct the jury to put their sympathy and prejudice aside and "coolly and dispassionately" decide if Pou's assault on Simmonds the night she died had a substantial or significant role in her death.

If the jury agreed it had, Justice Gordon said Pou would - at least - be found guilty of manslaughter.

She said a guilty verdict for murder would mean the jury felt sure Pou intended to kill Simmonds, or that he knew his actions would likely cause her death and he continued to run the risk she could die.

Justice Gordon summarised the weeks of evidence presented from both sides. She stressed to the jury to consider the "credibility" and "reliability" of the evidence as they attempted to reach unanimous decision on the charges.

Jurors were warned by Justice Gordon about putting too much weight in their observations of a person's demeanour in the witness box as their body language and tone could be affected by nerves or other emotions and didn't necessarily translate to being truthful or not.