Justice Simon France, who presided over the trial, lifted suppression orders following the acquittal which allowed the fact the charges existed to be reported, but details on what they are will remain suppressed until at least Macdonald's next appearance.
At Macdonald's brief appearance in Palmerston North District Court this afternoon Judge David Smith committed the case to the High Court at Palmerston North after Macdonald's lawyer, Greg King, and the Crown filed a memorandum which requested the transfer.
It said that Justice France was familiar with the facts and circumstances surrounding the offending.
A judge could normally decline sentencing when the overall sentence would exceed the district court's jurisdiction, which what not the case here.
"[But] the over riding consideration in my view is that justice be done,'' he said.
He said he was prepared to commit the case to the High Court.
The next date has been set for September 14, where a sentencing date would be fixed.
Macdonald was remanded in custody until then.
Judge Smith said it was beyond his jurisdiction to say which High Court judge would do the sentencing, but an application to have Justice France do it could be made at Macdonald's next appearance.
Macdonald's parents, Kerry and Marlene, sat at the front of the public gallery for their son's brief appearance, but did not make any comment as they left the court.
No members of the Guy family were present.
It is understood Macdonald has been at Manawatu Prison since he was remanded in custody at the conclusion of the trial.
He has spent 15 months at the prison since his arrest in April last year on the murder charge.
It took a jury of seven men and four women 12 and a half hours to come to the not guilty verdict on July 3.
