Miss-Delectable
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3 News > National > Story > History of deaf woman's killer revealed following guilty verdicts
Liam Reid, the man accused of raping and murdering Christchurch deaf woman Emma Agnew, has been found guilty by a jury at Christchurch's High Court.
Supporters packed the courtroom to learn the fate of 36-year-old Reid, who was also charged for the rape and attempted murder of a student in Dunedin.
After a month long trial, the jury was back in under four hours and there was raw emotion outside the court as the six guilty verdicts sank in for Miss Agnew's family and friends.
"I'd just like to say thanks to the police and the investigation that they have done and for all the work that they have put in," Miss Agnew's father, Henry Agnew told media. "Also the interpreters for making the communication clear for us and the lawyers as well. They've done a fantastic job."
It is almost a year since Miss Agnew disappeared. The 20-year-old's naked body was discovered 11 days after her disappearance in a pine plantation north of Christchurch.
Her brother Herbie says the family still feels helpless.
"We feel like it's just not fair," he said. "I mean, we can't bring our sister back to life and it's changed our life forever. Killing someone is just not natural. It's just not fair."
In an unusual move, Reid took the witness stand to deny any involvement in either case. However his arrogant performance and tales of violent sex and drug taking did him no favours.
"I had a fairly good insight into what we were dealing with before he got in the witness box," Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald said. "It just confirmed a number of things."
Following the guilty verdicts, Reid's past - which had previously been suppressed information - can now come to light. What emerges is a picture of a child abandoned by his parents, who abused alcohol and drifted into a life of violent crime.
Liam James Reid grew up as Julian Heath Edgecombe and was well known to police as a disturbed, violent and sexually-depraved offender.
At the age of three Edgecombe's parents abandoned him, leaving his grandfather to raise him.
"He was born into a pretty dysfunctional family," Garth McVicar from the Sensible Sentencing Trust said. "And his mother actually gave him up to the Salvation Army at a pretty young age.
Edgecombe's criminal life began with drink-driving convictions in Hamilton in September 1996 and in October 2002, he was charged with the abduction, rape and attempted murder of a woman.
It was alleged that he had raped and strangled her twice, before trying to finish her off by hanging her from a door frame by a telephone chord.
It was the first insight into his fetish for rough and violent sex often involving him strangling his partner until she had passed out.
He was defended by current lawyer David Bunce and he took the stand in his own defence. In that case he was found not guilty.
"He's no slug, he can take advantage of the system the way it's set up," Mr McVicar says. "We have a criminal-centred, offender-friendly legal process in this country. Reid understands that and he's able to take maximum advantage of that."
While in custody awaiting that trial, he assaulted a paedophile prisoner with a broom stick and threatened to kill another prisoner. He received a sentence of 21 months.
In 2003 he was acquitted of assaulting another inmate by throwing boiling water at him and punching him and then in April 2004 he goaded a prison officer into hitting him and later unsuccessfully sued Corrections for $40,000 for hurt feelings.
Around 2005 he changed his name by deed poll to Liam Reid, although continued trying to sue Corrections.
Reid's lawyer said his client was unmoved by today's verdict, saying he reacted very calmly.
The Agnew family are taking comfort from the Judge's indication that Reid may spend the rest of his life in prison.
Reid will receive his sentence in December.
Liam Reid, the man accused of raping and murdering Christchurch deaf woman Emma Agnew, has been found guilty by a jury at Christchurch's High Court.
Supporters packed the courtroom to learn the fate of 36-year-old Reid, who was also charged for the rape and attempted murder of a student in Dunedin.
After a month long trial, the jury was back in under four hours and there was raw emotion outside the court as the six guilty verdicts sank in for Miss Agnew's family and friends.
"I'd just like to say thanks to the police and the investigation that they have done and for all the work that they have put in," Miss Agnew's father, Henry Agnew told media. "Also the interpreters for making the communication clear for us and the lawyers as well. They've done a fantastic job."
It is almost a year since Miss Agnew disappeared. The 20-year-old's naked body was discovered 11 days after her disappearance in a pine plantation north of Christchurch.
Her brother Herbie says the family still feels helpless.
"We feel like it's just not fair," he said. "I mean, we can't bring our sister back to life and it's changed our life forever. Killing someone is just not natural. It's just not fair."
In an unusual move, Reid took the witness stand to deny any involvement in either case. However his arrogant performance and tales of violent sex and drug taking did him no favours.
"I had a fairly good insight into what we were dealing with before he got in the witness box," Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald said. "It just confirmed a number of things."
Following the guilty verdicts, Reid's past - which had previously been suppressed information - can now come to light. What emerges is a picture of a child abandoned by his parents, who abused alcohol and drifted into a life of violent crime.
Liam James Reid grew up as Julian Heath Edgecombe and was well known to police as a disturbed, violent and sexually-depraved offender.
At the age of three Edgecombe's parents abandoned him, leaving his grandfather to raise him.
"He was born into a pretty dysfunctional family," Garth McVicar from the Sensible Sentencing Trust said. "And his mother actually gave him up to the Salvation Army at a pretty young age.
Edgecombe's criminal life began with drink-driving convictions in Hamilton in September 1996 and in October 2002, he was charged with the abduction, rape and attempted murder of a woman.
It was alleged that he had raped and strangled her twice, before trying to finish her off by hanging her from a door frame by a telephone chord.
It was the first insight into his fetish for rough and violent sex often involving him strangling his partner until she had passed out.
He was defended by current lawyer David Bunce and he took the stand in his own defence. In that case he was found not guilty.
"He's no slug, he can take advantage of the system the way it's set up," Mr McVicar says. "We have a criminal-centred, offender-friendly legal process in this country. Reid understands that and he's able to take maximum advantage of that."
While in custody awaiting that trial, he assaulted a paedophile prisoner with a broom stick and threatened to kill another prisoner. He received a sentence of 21 months.
In 2003 he was acquitted of assaulting another inmate by throwing boiling water at him and punching him and then in April 2004 he goaded a prison officer into hitting him and later unsuccessfully sued Corrections for $40,000 for hurt feelings.
Around 2005 he changed his name by deed poll to Liam Reid, although continued trying to sue Corrections.
Reid's lawyer said his client was unmoved by today's verdict, saying he reacted very calmly.
The Agnew family are taking comfort from the Judge's indication that Reid may spend the rest of his life in prison.
Reid will receive his sentence in December.