Sentencing of Karen Aim's killer delayed - report

The sentencing of a teenager for the brutal murder of Scottish tourist Karen Aim in January 2008 has been delayed until later this month.

Jahche Broughton, 15, was to be sentenced for the murder of Ms Aim in the High Court at Rotorua on Friday but Broughton's new lawyer, Chris Wilkinson-Smith, told the Dominion Post some legal issues had come up which had caused the sentencing to be postponed.

Mr Wilkinson-Smith has replaced Bill Lawson, who had been acting for Broughton since the boy was charged with the murder 12 months ago.

Mr Wilkinson-Smith said there were many reasons for postponing sentencing dates.

He told the newspaper had been assigned the case last Friday and more time was needed to read the file.

The newspaper also reported it understood Broughton planned to apply to the High Court to change his plea to not guilty.

He pleaded guilty at a pre-trial hearing in Auckland last month to murdering Miss Aim, 27, in Taupo 13 months ago.

He also pleaded guilty to injuring a 17-year-old woman with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in a separate incident a fortnight earlier.

- NZPA