Jury to go out in Worrell murder trial

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a woman by driving his car into hers, is due to retire to consider its verdict on Thursday.

Tony Worrell, 50, of Swanson in West Auckland, is on trial facing six charges - murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and four charges of attempted intentional damage.

Katie Powles, 26, died when Worrell's car struck her vehicle in Karaka, south of Auckland, on June 3. Another man, Brett Robinson, was also badly injured.

At the High Court at Auckland, the Crown argued Worrell deliberately drove his car at speed into two other vehicles.

But Matthew Goodwin, defending Worrell, said he did not deliberately drive at vehicles to attempt suicide.

"He did not have suicide on his mind that night," he says.

The judge will sum up the case on Thursday morning, after which the jury of five men and seven women will retire.

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