A Taupo security officer told today how he came across a dying Scottish tourist Karen Aim as he investigated an early morning alarm at a Taupo college.
Lee Herewini was giving evidence at a depositions hearing in Taupo Youth Court of a 15-year-old boy who is accused of murdering 26-year-old Ms Aim.
Evidence from more than 100 witnesses will either be heard or submitted in writing.
At the time of her death Ms Aim was on a second visit to New Zealand after forging strong friendships with other young people - many of them also overseas tourists - on an earlier trip in 2006.
Mr Herewini told the court he had already carried out a patrol at Taupo Nui a Tia College on the night of January 16, when he was alerted to an alarm call at 2.12am.
When he arrived at 2.17am he found several blocks and classrooms, where windows had been smashed.
At 2.20am he called local police.
"They arrived in about two minutes," he told the court.
While one police officer accompanied Mr Herewini in his vehicle as he did a second loop through the school grounds, the other officer checked out the school perimeter in his patrol car.
Then came the call from the lone patrolling police officer and Mr Herewini drove to the north-western boundary of the school block to the corner of Waikato and Mouthed Sts.
"I could see a lady lying in a pool of blood there," he said.
"I could see a girl, a lot of blood and the police officer was trying to talk to her."
Earlier during the hearing, the court was handed a summary of facts which said Ms Aim was unconscious when found, and lying on her back.
She had severe head wounds and blood was also coming from her mouth.
"Her skirt had been pulled up around her waist and her underwear had been torn," the summary said.
An ambulance was called, but Ms Aim died shortly after her arrival at hospital, less than an hour after Mr Herewini had been alerted.
A post mortem examination on January 18 showed Ms Aim died as a result of head injuries.
"The victim was struck by two heavy blows in rapid succession to the left side of the face.
"The victim was also struck with one further heavy blow to the front of the face,"
As a result she suffered extensive fractures to bones on the face on the left side, and also a skull fracture and contusions to the back of the scalp on the right side, it said.
Earlier Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch told the court that police executed a search warrant at the youth's home and located a camera similar to Ms Aim's.
In an incinerator they found a black handbag and under the house a baseball bat with blood and glass embedded in it.
The youth told police he spent the night of January 16-17 at home with his grandparents.
Much of this morning's youth court hearing before Judge Russell Callander was spent dealing with matters relating to media coverage of the depositions hearing.
Around a dozen media are present at the hearing, including photographers and television cameramen.
Photographers have been told they can take photographs in the courtroom but not of the defendant, his family members and some of the witnesses.
Scientific and pathology witnesses are due to appear in court tomorrow when the hearing continues.
