A judge's inadequate directions to a jury has led to charges being dropped against a fast food worker convicted of raping a 17-year-old colleague on a Pizza Hut dough counter. Dilbagh (Sonny) Singh, now 31, was found guilty of three charges of rape after a Christchurch District Court jury trial in October last year, and sentenced to nine years six months in prison. In May, the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after it found trial judge David Saunders had failed to give the jury proper directions. Judge Saunders told the jury they had to be sure Singh was guilty and said it was a high standard. The Pizza Hut worker arrived in New Zealand nine years ago and was due to become a New Zealand citizen before the charges were laid.

Source: Stuff October 19, 2020 15:56 UTC