A man accused of sexually abusing and murdering an eight year old girl in a Canningvale shopping centre has been scheduled for an October trial. Twenty two year old Dante Wyndham Arthurs is pleading 'not guilty'.

I wrote about the awful fate of Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu back in June 2006 (An evil close to home), the details particularly alarming as it happened in our very neighbourhood.

Curiously, and I am not sure if this is a bad thing or not, only a Judge will hear the trial due to concerns the publicity surrounding the case could prejudice a jury.

Watching with interest.