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.

Libyan police may never be able to arrest whoever is responsible for the execution-style murders of New Zealander Lynn Howie and her British boyfriend Mark De Salis, a close associate of the Briton says.

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.

Oscar Pistorius is selling the Pretoria home where he shot dead his girlfriend, as the mounting costs of his trial for murdering her spiral out of control.

Prosecutors expect to wrap up their murder case against Oscar Pistorius early next week after calling "four or five" more witnesses. The court has been adjourned until Monday.

New details of Teina Pora's appeal to the Privy Council have emerged as the twice-convicted murderer and rapist applies for bail.

A High Court judge has reserved his decision on whether twice-convicted murderer and rapist Teina Pora will be granted bail.

She can see it, that moment almost a year ago when her husband was shot and killed.

A woman who drove four people accused of murdering a Featherston man to his flat thought they were just going to scare the 40-year-old, a court has heard.

Lucille Scollay loved her husband dearly, but after 20 years of misery, she finally snapped and plunged the blade of a kitchen knife deep into his chest.

The mother of tortured Rotorua three-year-old Nia Glassie has had her parole revoked by the Parole Board.

Ngatai "Mellory" Manning had vowed to go straight and clean up her life just weeks before she was brutally raped and murdered.

A mystery DNA sample could hold the key to tracing other people the Crown believes were involved in Mellory Manning's brutal murder.

Jurors in the Ngatai 'Mellory' Manning murder trial have been sent home for the night, and will resume their deliberations tomorrow.