Christchurch

Former Christchurch police officer Nathan Thorose Connolly has been convicted on one charge of misusing his authority to get sex from a prostitute.

A former policeman accused of extorting free sex from a prostitute sat cringing, head in hands as his police interview tape was played to the High Court at Christchurch today.

A 28-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a 24-year-old was shot in Christchurch yesterday.

A former policeman said to have had free sex from a woman in exchange for turning a blind eye to her driving offences went on trial in the High Court at Christchurch today.

A Christchurch man was sentenced to nearly two years' prison today for pouring a can of toxic paint over his ex-partner.

The killer of cat protection worker Kerry Leigh Downey has admitted her murder, 10 days before he was due to stand trial.

Two investigations have been launched into allegations that senior firefighters had been drinking before attending a fatal north Canterbury fire in September.

Panic and fear caused two drinking companions to accuse each other of beating a youth later found dead in Upper Riccarton's Auburn Reserve, a defence counsel told the manslaughter trial today.

No penalty imposed by the court could punish Michael James Geoffrey Eades more than he was punishing himself for the death of his wife, cousin, and granddaughter, Christchurch District Court was told today.

An attempt to throw drugs into Christchurch Men's Prison within a tennis ball has fallen short for the second time in two weeks.

A family is waiting for answers as the Fire Service investigates whether its staff had been drinking before going to a fatal fire, and whether more should have been done to save the victim.

Excessive alcohol intoxication cannot be ruled out as the sole cause of death for a teenager found dead in a Christchurch park, the High Court at Christchurch was told today.

Alcohol alone could not have killed a teenager found dead in a Christchurch park last year, says a pathologist.