A young referee king-hit by a rugby player - who has been banned from the sport for life - says he is counting the days until he can return to the sport he describes as his life.

A mother appeared in court today charged with the murder of three young disabled children.

As the dog lead tightened around her neck, Maxine Lozell feared she would die at the hands of her attackers.

A mother who provided round-the-clock care for her three severely disabled children was last night being questioned on suspicion of murdering them while they were alone together at their home.

A former ITM rugby player will face a judiciary hearing this week for punching a referee in the head during a club game.

A man has appeared in court in relation to a serious assault on a police officer on Thursday.

Stephen Dudley's grieving mother - who shot her husband while threatening to shoot herself - has today avoided penalty over the incident.

Joe Karam has been awarded $535,000 in a defamation case against two men who launched an "all-out assault" on his reputation because of his support for David Bain.

The mother of the 3-year-old who was tortured and killed says she was shocked by the Parole Board's decision to revoke her parole.

A grieving mother who shot her husband was threatening to shoot herself, according to the police case.

An Auckland teenager who stomped on another man's head has been told that only his age will save him from going to jail.

Two weeks ago, tourists Michaela Brand and Niki Honda arrived in Auckland, excited and ready for the trip of a lifetime around New Zealand.

A 17-year-old died after a brutal assault near an area that had developed into a "serious alcohol fuelled violent zone'', an inquest into his death has found.

Police have confirmed tonight that human remains found in a drain at a North Shore park are those of missing woman Cissy Chen.

Teina Pora is "overwhelmed" by a Parole Board decision that will see him released from prison after more than 21 years, his lawyer says.

Convicted murderer Teina Pora is appearing before the Parole Board in his latest bid for freedom.

The mother of a man whose headless skeleton was found in an Auckland garage is "sick to the stomach" her son's killer is appealing the length of his sentence.

A High Court jury will continue deliberating this morning on verdicts for five people charged over the fatal bashing of Wairarapa man Glen Jones.

Reeva Steenkamp sent Oscar Pistorius a photo of her blowing a kiss to the athlete just a month before her death, it was revealed at his murder trial today.

'I'm scared of you and how you snap at me,' wrote Reeva Steenkamp in text messages to Oscar Pistorius, as the prosecution painted a picture of a jealous boyfriend.

Police are hopeful the discovery of human bones in a North Shore reserve yesterday could solve the murder of Auckland woman Cissy Chen.

Gerrie Nel, the state prosecutor, stunned the court at Oscar Pistorius's murder trial last week, asking for an adjournment until tonight.

A 16-year-old who admitted assaulting Stephen Dudley - who later died - has been discharged without conviction and had his identity permanently suppressed.