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Christopher Shadrock - Source: ONE News -
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The man accused of mowing down an Auckland businesswoman in a car park in 2008 has been found guilty for the second time at the High Court in Auckland today.
Christopher Shedrock hit Joanne Wang in a stolen four wheel drive in the car park of the Manukau Westfield shopping centre in 2008 after snatching her handbag. She died of head injuries in hospital the next day.
The 25-year-old was found guilty of murder in 2010 and was serving a minimum non-parole period of 12 years in jail, however his conviction was quashed last year.
The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial in August 2011 citing there needed to be a change in how the law was explained to the jury.
Defence lawyer Christopher Wilkinson-Smith said today's sentence, which has remained unchanged, is relatively light for murder, and reflects the crime was on the cusp between a bad manslaughter and a less serious murder.
The lawyer said nobody suggested Shadrock intended to kill, with the defence arguing he was trying to leave the scene.
The jury returned its verdict this afternoon after retiring to deliberate on Tuesday afternoon.
Shadrock's four co-accused have also found been guilty of being accessories after the fact for their part in covering up his tracks.