NEW ZEALAND SEX KILLING OF BRITISH TEEN

A TEENAGER who moved to New Zealand to escape crime-plagued Britain was murdered by a classmate, a court heard yesterday.

Libby Templeman, 15, headed Down Under from Brightlingsea, Essex, with her family five years ago for a quieter life.

But she vanished on her way to meet her boyfriend at the supermarket where he worked.

Hunt

He raised the alarm and the entire North Island town of Kerikeri launched a massive hunt.

The drama student’s body was found face-down in a stream. She had been strangled and beaten unconscious. Her clothing had been torn and her underwear disturbed.

A 16-year-old classmate, who can only be identified as K, denies murder and indecent assault.

Whangarei High Court heard Libby and her family initially lived in Kerikeri before moving to Auckland for work reasons. But the teen stayed in touch with her old pals and had taken the bus back to the town to attend a barbecue at which her alleged killer was also present.

She left at 6.30pm to meet her boyfriend and was seen walking along the road with the suspect as she texted pals on her phone.

He allegedly pushed her into bushes, knocked her to the ground and left her lying unconscious. He told detectives he removed her clothing in a bid to make it look like she had been the victim of rape.

He then cycled home where he hid his blood-spattered shirt in bushes. It was later found by the police.

The trial continues.

jerry.lawton@dailystar.co.uk

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