18 Oct 2012

Teenager's killer deemed insane, cleared of murder

5:32 am on 18 October 2012

The man who killed Auckland teenager Christie Marceau has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.

Akshay Chand, 19, admitted last month to charges of kidnapping, threatening to rape and assaulting Ms Marceau with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Two months after that incident in November last year, and while on bail, he stabbed her to death at her family home.

The High Court in Auckland heard on Wednesday from two leading psychiatrists, both of whom diagnosed Chand with schizophrenia, saying he was psychotic and delusional.

Graham Mellsop told the court Chand had a voice in his head that told him the devil was inhabiting Ms Marceau and that she must be killed.

Professor Mellsop says Chand's mental illness was so significant and pervasive that he did not know that what he'd done was morally wrong.

Justice Winkelmann agreed that Chand was legally insane at the time he killed Ms Marceau.

She has ruled he must be detained as a special patient in a secure ward indefinitely, to be released only on the order of the Minister of Health.

He will be sentenced on his other charges on Thursday.

Trial 'would be futile'

The Crown prosecutor in the case, Simon Moore, says he has no argument with the verdict.

He says it was agreed by both the defence and the Crown and he accepts Chand did not know what he was doing was morally wrong.

Mr Moore says it would have been futile if the case had gone to trial.

He says it would be morally corrupt if mentally ill people who cannot form the intent to commit murder were to be convicted and sent to jail.