Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - A man whose two sons are serving life terms for the murder of Rotorua three-year-old Nia Glassie was today sentenced to four years imprisonment for abusing the toddler.

Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - A teenager who shot dead his best mate avoided prison when he appeared for sentence in Masterton District Court yesterday.

Auckland, Feb 10 NZPA - A court decision blocking plans for a high-rise development on a public reserve north of Auckland was described by the local mayor today as "a victory for common sense".

Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - A dying man accused of murder has been denied an application for a stay of proceedings.

Brett Ashby, 50, has pleaded not guilty of murdering Grant "Granite" Adams, in December 2005 when a drug deal turned sour.

Auckland, Feb 13 NZPA - The country's youngest convicted killer has escaped an immediate recall to prison after yesterday admitting breaching his parole conditions.

Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - Six men were yesterday jailed for a total of 38 years for the manslaughter of a Timaru man who was stomped and kicked to death in the street last year.

Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - A man who was trying to give his fiancee a fright after an argument, unintentionally killed himself with a nailgun, an inquest has revealed.

Wellington, Feb 13 NZPA - A man whose two sons are serving life terms for the murder of three-year-old Nia Glassie will today be sentenced for abusing the toddler.

A jury found William Curtis guilty on eight assault charges after a trial in Rotorua District Court last December.

Wellington, Feb 12 NZPA - A woman charged with stealing nearly $200,000 from Surf Lifesaving Taranaki now faces a further 17 charges of using a document fraudulently.

Wellington, Feb 12 NZPA - Continued reliance on previous catch histories in dividing up the sustainable levels of kahawai between commercial, recreational and Maori customary fishers may put the non-commercial fishery into a "death spiral", the Supreme Court was told today.