Guilty verdict in taxi driver kidnapping

A jury has returned guilty verdicts against the second person involved in the kidnapping, bashing and robbery of a Wellington taxi driver.

But the jury acquitted Jade Richard Barton, 25, of arson of the taxi where driver Odesho Shemon was lying wounded in the open boot.

Another man, Bronson Boudine Samson, had already pleaded guilty to the charges, including arson.

It was the second robbery Barton and Samson committed within 12 hours last August. The first victims were two recently-arrived foreign students who had their phones and other property taken from them on Petone beach.

Shemon was attacked early the following morning, beaten unconscious and put in the boot of the taxi for about two hours while Samson went on a ‘‘tiki tour’’, as Barton later described it to police. Shemon received cuts and bruises and had four fractures in bones in his back.

He has not returned to taxi driving.

Barton’s trial at the High Court in Wellington began on May 21, and the jury of eight men and four women began considering their decision at about noon on Monday.

The jury delivered its verdicts yesterday afternoon finding Barton guilty of aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, kidnapping and possessing a knife.

Detective Ben Evans said it had been a traumatising and horrific incident for Shemon, and it was good to have an outcome.

Evans said police could not rule out others were involved, but Barton and Samson were the main offenders.

In his interview with police, Barton said Samson had been living off him and they needed money.

Barton and Samson are due to be sentenced in June.