Prostitute found guilty of murder

Lynne West, the dead man's mother. Photo / Martin Sykes

The mother of a prostitute on trial for stabbing her lover to death in the shower collapsed in despair after her daughter was yesterday convicted of murder.

Carol Taylor fell to the ground outside court and had to be helped away by friends after a jury found her daughter, prostitute-turned-hairdresser Dionne Liza Neale, guilty of murdering Reece John Shadbolt, 38, on Waitangi Day 2007.

Neale let out a small whimper as the verdicts were read in the High Court at Auckland and her supporters cried softly and called out, "Love you, Dionne", from the public gallery.

As well as the murder charge she was also found guilty of causing intentional damage after she scratched "cheater" and "whore addict" on Mr Shadbolt's car. The couple had argued over his continued use of prostitutes.

On the morning of his death Neale turned down his request for sex, causing him to say to her: "Stupid whore, I can get it anywhere." He then went for a shower and she went for a knife.

She said she never meant him to die, his death was accidental or self-defence, but she admitted losing control during the ensuing struggle with him in which he suffered eight more wounds to the back, throat and arms.

The 39-year-old mother of three claimed she stabbed him in the arm first and the chest wound - which police say was the wound that killed him - came as the pair struggled throughout his Parnell apartment.

Mr Shadbolt's mother, Lynne West, was last night marking her birthday with family and friends. She told the Weekend Herald the guilty verdict was a good birthday present.

"It's been a very big day," she said before she left court clutching a bouquet of flowers.

During the trial the court heard how Mrs West initially liked Neale, thought she was pretty, and even said she reminded her of movie star Julia Roberts.

But later, as the relationship soured, she worried about her son's safety and urged him to change the locks on his apartment door.

He promised her he would and in their last talk before his murder he told her: "I don't want her to do a Mrs Bobbit on me."

A friend of the couple said the death was "a tragedy that shouldn't have happened".

Mr Shadbolt's uncle, Dennis Cotton, said his family now wanted closure. "It's a just verdict ... I have faith in the New Zealand justice system - but we take no pleasure in this."

The couple had a sporadic relationship since they met at the Mustangs Gentleman's Club on Auckland's North Shore in 2004, where she worked as an escort.

Justice Graham Lang said he was ready to sentence Neale yesterday but delayed doing so when prosecutor Kevin Glubb said he wasn't in a position to indicate whether the Crown was seeking more than the minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

Neale was remanded in custody for sentencing on June 5.

Neale's lawyer, Barry Hart, said he had seen her in the cells and would immediately lodge an appeal against the conviction.

"I was disappointed with the result. We think it's the wrong decision. I've seen her down in the cells and the decision has been made to appeal."

- NZPA