No law against cleared man drinking with jurors

The verdict in the GoldTimes case led to some unusual scenes at the High Court - Malcolm Beattie hugged a juror and later went for a celebratory drink with four of the jury.

He maintains the emotional scenes were instigated by the jurors and he checked with his lawyer, John Billington, QC, that he was on safe legal ground.

The scenes of apparent friendship have raised hackles among some who do not believe the right verdict was recorded.

But Mr Beattie dismissed any criticism. No one in the world was friends with everyone, he said.

"Detractors want to whack the tall poppy and there are probably some disappointed people [after the verdict]."

Mr Billington said it showed how deeply the jurors felt. In all his years as a barrister, he had never seen that happen before.

Rajesh Chhana, general manager crime prevention and criminal justice for the Ministry of Justice, said there was nothing illegal or improper in the the jurors' conduct.

"Once the ... judge discharges the jury, they go back to being essentially normal people and can do anything they want."