Teen rapist refuses to identify accomplice

The 18-year-old convicted of rape and attempted murder of a 14-year-old Vietnamese girl in 2004 is keeping his lips sealed about the identity of the other offender.

On Wednesday a jury in the High Court at Auckland found David Mamea guilty on the two charges after more than nine hours of deliberation.

He was found not guilty of being a party to rape. He had admitted a charge of aggravated robbery.

Senior Sergeant Sue Schwalger said the investigation remained open until they found the second man, identified during the six-day trial as Male A.

"We are still looking for Male A," Ms Schwalger said yesterday. "We are relying on the public to come and tell us who it is."

Mamea refused to give police any clues as to who his accomplice was in the incident at about 3.30am on New Year's Eve day 2004.

DNA evidence given during the trial showed Mamea's saliva, blood and pubic hair had been found at the scene, but the semen samples tested from the victim's blanket, jeans and underwear belonged to Male A.

Mamea told the jury he was forced at gunpoint by four other men, who he said were his "friends' mates", to enter a house in Manurewa at 3.30am and stab the victim who was asleep in her bed.

The victim, now 15, is the eldest of five children who lived at the address. The family migrated to New Zealand two years earlier.

Police said she was stabbed 10 times with a kitchen knife, raped, bitten and then thrown over the back fence.

Ms Schwalger said they were concentrating on finding Male A only.

"At this stage we're still just looking for one, but I'm not discounting that there are others."

She said she had spoken to the victim's parents following the verdict and that the result would now allow the family to move on.

"They are feeling really good, they're very pleased with the outcome.

"They are just wanting to be able to get on with their life and forget about it."

Mamea was remanded in custody for sentencing June 9.

- NZPA