Warning: This article contains distressing details that may disturb some people.
One of the two people charged with the killing of Auckland teenager Dimetrius Pairama has pleaded guilty to her kidnapping.
Ashley Winter and Kerry Te Amo are accused of kidnapping and murdering Pairama at an abandoned state house in Mangere in July 2018, before dumping her body in a steel drum.
- Murder-accused told police Dimetrius Pairama killed herself
- Accused claims she was forced to watch Dimetrius Pairama's torture
- Witness describes gruesome killing of Dimetrius Pairama
At the start of the trial Winter admitted to kidnapping the teenager, but still denies the murder charge. Te Amo initially pleaded not guilty to a charge of kidnapping, but on Friday morning pleaded guilty.
He also still denies the murder charge.
Closing arguments were heard in court on Friday morning, where the details of Pairama's final hours were discussed.
Crown lawyer Natalie Walker says Pairama went to an abandoned state house in Mangere with four others when they allegedly turned on her.
One of the teens - who earlier gave evidence at the trial in exchange for immunity from prosecution, said Winter told her to punch Pairama.
"She was an important Crown witness, if not the most important."
The Crown says the teen felt she had no choice but to follow orders.
"[The teen] said she only did it because Winter told her to do it, and if she hadn't she would've been hit instead. Winter then stuck into Dimetrius and gave her a hiding."
"Winter took her to the ground, and began to kick and stomp on her."
The Crown says the group was interrupted by police knocking at the door over another matter.
- Trial begins for pair accused of brutally kidnapping, torturing and murdering 17yo Dimetrius Pairama
The court heard a tearful Pairama answered, but denied offers of help from the officers who then left the property.
"Undeterred by the police visit the assault not only resumed but got worse. [Pairama] was then told to take her clothes off."
Walker says Pairama was then tied to a chair, burned, had her hair shaved and was allegedly beaten by Winter, Te Amo and another teen.
"The group then held a meeting, and Dimetrius was asked how she wanted to die. She was asked whether she wanted to die by being stabbed or hanged."
The court heard Te Amo was told to get the rope ready, and "make it real tight".
"Te Amo then tore a white sheet into strips, and made at least two nooses."
The teen witness then left the room, and fell asleep while looking out for police.
"It's not known which of the two defendants carried out the hanging, but that doesn't matter. The Crown case is that they assisted each other," Walker said.
"One of them placed the noose around her neck… one of them removed the chair from underneath her.
"The Crown says this is not the act of one person. It doesn't matter who does the specific act. Each act was committed with the intention of killing Dimetrius."
Earlier in the trial two police interviews with Winter were played to the court. The first where a highly emotional Winter said she was forced to watch Pairama be tortured.
She referred to her as her "sister", but when asked, couldn't remember Pairama's name. In the second the Crown says Winter admitted beating Pairama up.
"In addition to that interview she admitted being at the meeting around asking Pairama how she wanted to die," Walker said.
"She admitted holding the noose, being in the hallway while Dimterius was made to stand on a chair, and watched as she slipped through the noose the first time."
The Crown said Winter told "elaborate lies".
"You could be forgiven for thinking Winter has all but admitted to murder. Indeed the Crown says her admissions alone are enough to establish she was knowingly involved in murder."
Walker told the jury Te Amo was also caught out telling "demonstrably false lies", and in his police interview stuck to a plan of "not knowing anything".
"But bit by bit Te Amo started to admit what he did in the house.
"First he said he wasn't in the hallway when [Pairama] was hanged, but later admitted he was. He then said he wasn't involved in moving her body, but later admitted it."
The Crown told the court Te Amo's lies are evidence of his guilt.
"Te Amo downplayed his involvement and blamed others. He blamed Winter for actions which he was logically responsible for."
In his closing address, defence lawyer Matthew Goodwin told the court his client, Winter, was a "scapegoat".
He said Winter did play a part in detaining and assaulting Pairama, but wasn't involved in her death.
"We say the finger has been pointed at Ashley Winter, and that there is insufficient justification for them to do so."
Goodwin told the court that Te Amo and another teen who has name suppression were to blame. He said the other teen had expressed a desire to kill someone months before "who was her age, she hated her, and her name was Dimetrius."
"Killing Dimetrius was (the other teen's) cause."
The defence said Winter had been painted as the dominant person by the Crown.
It was then argued that Winter was an "easy target" because she barely knew the others at the house.
"You might wonder whether she has become useful scapegoat to the others in this drama? The outsider, the stranger, who no one else had any loyalty to."
But Kerry Te Amo’s lawyer Shane Tait said his client didn’t kill Pairama, and that Winter was the one in charge.
He told the court the real reason Winter was an outsider was because "she was extremely violent on the day."
"It’s because she was taking control of the situation."
"Threatening others, breaking windows, yelling ‘karma this, karma that .. how do you wanna die b**ch?'"
Tait said it was also important for the jury to consider that Ashley Winter is transgender.
"Not as a form of disrespect, but for the sole reason that in a trial involving assaults and violence it’s important that we appreciate that she's not in there slapping and hitting like a dainty fish."
The judge is due to sum up the case on Monday, before the jury retires to consider its verdicts.
Newshub.
