Youth committed to trial for Aim murder

A 15-year-old Taupo youth was today committed for trial on a charge of murdering Scottish tourist Karen Aim at Taupo in January.

At the conclusion of a three day depositions hearing at Taupo Youth Court, Judge Russell Callander ruled a prima facie case had been established and remanded the youth for a callover in the High Court in Rotorua on October 2.

Two counsel appearing for the accused, Bill Lawson and Max Simpkins, conceded there was sufficient preliminary evidence and entered a plea of not guilty.

The youth is alleged to have beaten Ms Aim with a baseball bat near the Taupo Nui a Tia College in the early hours of January 17 this year.

She was found lying in a pool of blood in Waikato Street just 100m from her home by a police officer called to investigate vandalism at the college.

She died a short time later at Taupo Hospital.

The court was told today that the then 14-year-old youth was identified as possible suspect within an hour of Ms Aim's slaying.

Police executed a search warrant at his home and located a camera similar to Ms Aim's.

They found a black handbag in an incinerator and a baseball bat with blood and glass embedded in it under the house.

The youth told police he spent the night of January 16 at home with his grandparents.

He later told a man he knew a "guy" called Brian from Rotorua, who was a Mongrel Mob prospect, had carried out the attack.

"Brian" had hit Miss Aim over the head with a baseball bat and was planning to throw her in the Waikato River, but there was too much traffic.

He said "Brian" had been to his house, borrowing both a bicycle and a baseball bat.

The court had earlier been told Ms Aim had been in New Zealand on a working holiday and the night before her death had been socialising with friends in the Taupo CBD.

Security footage from the last bar she visited showed her leaving at 1.58am and then further footage from a service station a few minutes later showed her making a purchase.

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