A 14-year-old boy accused of murdering Hawke's Bay man Kelly Donner has admitted robbing him, but says he did not kill him.
Murder accused Haami Hanara Photo: Pool photo
The teenager is allegedly one of several young people involved in an attack on 40-year-old Donner, who died outside the Flax Bar and Eatery, known as the Flaxmere Tavern, on 4 March.
In the High Court in Napier, Haami Hanara this morning pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder.
Four other teenagers have appeared in the Hastings Youth Court in relation to the assault on Mr Donner, but Mr Hanara is the only one charged with murder.
A jury of five men and seven women was selected this morning.
The High Court in Napier was told Mr Donner was stabbed four times before being kicked and stomped on by his attacker.
In his opening, Crown lawyer Steve Manning said Mr Donner was attacked after getting into a fight with the accused, who had borrowed a torch from him and had refused to return it.
He said CCTV footage showed Mr Hanara carrying a knife before and after the attack, but there was 34 seconds missing during the attack.
He said Mr Donner was attacked from behind, stabbed twice in the neck, once in the shoulder and once in the chest.
The trial is set down for two weeks.
