Two separate witnesses say they saw a young man with Stanley Waipouri on the night of his death, the Palmerston North High Court heard today. Andre Gilling events leading up to the killing on 22 December last year. Twenty one-year-old Ashley Arnopp and 18-year-old Andre Gilling have denied murdering 39-year-old gay man Stanley Waipouri, who was found dead in his Rangitikei Street flat. Witnesses include a neighbour who complained about loud music and thumping - "like someone was getting thrown to the ground" - coming from Waipouri's flat. The neighbour says the door was opened by a young man who apologised and said Waipouri was asleep. Another witness says he came face to face with a bloodied Arnopp after an empty beer bottle hurled at him from the top flat. Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk told the jury yesterday it was unlikely all the events of the night could ever be reconstructed - but there was abundant DNA evidence indicating Arnopp and Gilling took part in the attack. Members of Waipouri's family have travelled from throughout the North Island to attend the trial, and say a special get-together is planned once a verdict was reached. Ref: Manawatu Standard, Newstalk ZB, NZPA
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 27th November 2007 - 3:14pm