It took less than 20 minutes for the Mongrel Mob to pluck sex worker Ngatai 'Mellory' Manning off the street before raping, bashing, and murdering her, the Crown alleges.

The trial of three men allegedly behind a near more than a year earlier than the original date of May 2015.

Murder accused Mauha Fawcett, who is conducting his own trial, has elected not to take the stand, after declaring 'his life is on the line'.

A Masterton toddler is fighting for his life in hospital and police have arrested a man for allegedly assaulting him.

A Wairarapa supermarket worker was fatally bashed by a group in a "vigilante attack'' in retaliation for an alleged rape, a court has been told.

Serial killer Joanna Dennehy joined the ranks of Rose West and the Moors Murderer Myra Hindley yesterday when she became only the third woman to be given a "whole life" jail term.

Two men found guilty of murdering Lee McMurdo during a robbery at his west Auckland home have today been handed hefty jail terms.

A specialist scheme to identify high-risk violent spouses needs a consistent national approach, says a report into fatal domestic abuse.

A month after telling police he took part in the brutal murder of Christchurch prostitute Mellory Manning, Mongrel Mob prospect Mauha Fawcett backtracked on his story.

Police are having to deal with increasing numbers of people who are so drunk they are a danger to themselves and others, statistics reveal.

A 27-year-old Navy sailor has been allowed to remain on duty after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of trainee teacher Tarun Asthana.

The children of a Dunedin man killed by one punch are pleased his death is helping to prevent similar acts of violence.

A 27-year-old naval rating has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of trainee teacher Tarun Asthana.

Murder victim Mellory Manning's DNA was found on a knife recovered just metres from where her body was dumped in a Christchurch river, a court heard today.

A man who was viciously assaulted at a Mt Eden party at the weekend remains in a serious but stable condition at Auckland City Hospital.

Family is at the bedside of a critically-injured 23-year-old who was seriously assaulted at a party near Eden Park last night.

His father had just savagely beaten her young son to death, yet Rosie Batty could find only compassion for the violent and disturbed ex-husband who was then killed by police

An extremely rare mutated grass pollen found on Mellory Manning's clothing matched samples taken from the Mongrel Mob gang pad where police say she was brutally murdered.

An estranged father who bashed and stabbed his son to death at a Melbourne cricket practice session started screaming "shoot me" when police arrived.

Lucille Scollay was found guilty of manslaughter by stabbing her husband through the heart, both her family and her victim's gasped with relief.

The father of a woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend says the prospect of enduring a retrial is disheartening.

The mother of tortured Rotorua three-year-old Nia Glassie will be released from prison after being granted parole.

A man who hired sex worker Mellory Manning on the night she was killed was unable to reach her by text later that night, the High Court at Christchurch has been told.

Christchurch sex worker Mellory Manning had consumed a variety of drugs in the days and hours before she was brutally murdered, a jury has been told today.

A man left fighting for his life after an assault in a central Auckland bar was felled with a single punch he didn't see coming, say staff who witnessed the unprovoked attack.