A Stratford man who admitted to killing his mother will spend at least 16 years in jail.

The inmate whose death is the subject of multiple inquiries was on the brink of escaping the life which put him behind bars, friends have told the Herald.

Trial for the man accused of murdering Connor Morris will begin a year to the day 26-year-old died.

A woman accused of a stabbing spree in a Wellington suburb last month has been charged with murder.

Emma Le Fleming Roberts accused of failing to get autistic son medical treatment while partner faces murder charge.

A man charged after a 6-month-old girl died this week has reappeared at Porirua District Court.

Bruce Andrew Mortimer spent the last few years trying to keep out of trouble before he got killed in a hostel, his former partner says.

Man who stabbed two men to death at a south Auckland pawn shop jailed.

The mother of a 5-year-old autistic boy who was allegedly murdered at his Christchurch home has been charged with failing in her legal duty as a carer.

A man facing a murder charge after allegedly stabbing a woman to death at a south Auckland home they shared has pleaded not guilty.

A man is recovering in hospital and another is due to appear in court after a stabbing in Lower Hutt last night.

A homicide investigation has been launched after a 6-month-old baby girl died after sustaining head injuries in Wellington.

A woman interviewed over a murder nearly two decades ago wants to change her police statement.

A man who indecently assaulted and burgled an elderly woman at knife point has been jailed for seven and a half years.

A housekeeper has been sentenced to community work after she assaulted her partner and her brother in a series of violent outbursts.

"While the laying of charges is an important step in the inquiry, there is still a lot of work to be done regarding the ongoing investigation."

He is serving a life sentence for the 1998 New Year's Day murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope.

A man killed in a stabbing spree on Wednesday night has been named by police.

Three other people were transported to Wellington Hospital by ambulance, while one person was assisting police with inquiries and the scene.

A convicted murderer has been transferred out of Whanganui Prison after assaulting two prison officers.

Peter Lawrence Clague is on trial at Auckland District Court charged with male assaults female.

A Kiwi principal at the helm of one of a prestigious English school has flown home to defend a domestic violence charge laid by his ex-partner.

Others stood by while a young woman was being strangled and punched in her car, but five Auckland men took action.

A 27-year-old man has been granted interim name suppression after he appeared before the court over the death of a two-year-old Hawera girl.

One boy has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of a West Auckland shopkeeper but a second has been cleared of the same offence.

A leading family violence expert is welcoming a move to encourage more transparency between agencies dealing with domestic abuse cases.

After half a day deliberating, the jury in the Arun Kumar trial has retired for the night.

The brother of slain North Shore woman Cissy Chen says his family is hurting at not being able to bring his sister the justice they feel she deserves.