30 Sep 2020

Ex-Napier councillor has murder conviction overturned in Canada

1:06 pm on 30 September 2020

A former Napier city councillor convicted of murdering his wife has had his conviction overturned by a Canadian court.

Laura Letts-Beckett was allegedly murdered by her NZ husband Peter Beckett.

Laura Letts-Beckett. Photo: Facebook

Local Canadian news website Castanet reports the Court of Appeal overturned Peter Beckett's conviction due to errors made by the trial judge and Crown prosecutors.

Beckett was convicted in September 2017 of deliberately drowning his wife Laura Letts-Beckett on Upper Arrow Lake in 2010.

It was the second trial, after the first resulted in a hung jury.

The court has ordered a new trial, but whether it goes ahead will depend on if the prosecution service decides to proceed.

  • Jury retires in Canadian murder trial
  • Mistrial in former Napier councillor's murder trial
  • Ex-Napier city councillor found guilty of first-degree murder