All Episodes

May 24, 2023 58 mins

On May 5 2007 Lipine Sila murdered Hannah Rossiter and Jane Young and caused grievous bodily harm to eight other teens when he drove his car through a crowd outside a party in the Christchurch suburb of Edgeware. 

The collision took place after Sila and his brother had been involved in fights at the gathering.

Sila claimed he was scared for his life and was trying to get away from people attacking him - and that he never meant to harm any of the victims.

However a jury found him guilty of murder and in 2008 he was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. 

The murders were like nothing seen in New Zealand before. They impacted many in Christchurch - from the family and friends of the dead girls to their schoolmates and community, the wider city and the country. 

There was anger towards Sila, toward those who organised the party - which had been widely shared and discussed on social media in the week leading up to it - and police for their response when it was clear it was about to go haywire.

In this episode of A Moment In Crime senior journalist Anna Leask revisit the Edgeware Road murders - taking you inside the tragic party, the police handling of it and the trial and sentencing of one of the country's most notorious double murderers.

For more on the murders and aftermath visit nzherald.co.nz or click on the links below.

Brother admits 'I lost the plot' on night of deaths

Edgeware Road murder trial evidence ends

Murderer Sila convicted of prison assault

Review clears police over Edgeware Rd

A Moment In Crime is an NZME podcast produced monthly by Leask, who has been a specialist crime and justice reporter for almost two decades. 

This episode was written and produced by Anna Leask and edited by NZME audio engineer James Irwin.

If there is a case you would like Leask to consider covering please email anna.leask@nzme.co.nz

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Ridiculous History

Ridiculous History

History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.