Man guilty of Wellington boarding house murder

File photo / NZ Herald

A 45-year-old man has been found guilty in the High Court at Wellington of murdering a fellow resident at a halfway house in the city.

Wiremu Pokai Haare stabbed 37-year-old Kelly Noema 28 times with a kitchen knife after Mr Noema woke up other boarders at Mansfield House, in the suburb of Newtown, with his noisy night-time behaviour on August 11, 2009.

A jury of six women and four men spent last week hearing evidence in the trial, presided over by Justice Jillian Mallon.

They retired early on Friday afternoon but were sent home for the weekend when they had not reached a verdict.

After debating today - and returning twice with questions on provocation - jurors announced a unanimous guilty verdict mid-afternoon.

Haare was remanded in custody for sentencing on April 8.

- NZPA