Deane Fuller-Sandys case: Crown announces it won’t pursue ‘Gone Fishing’ double murder retrial for Stephen Stone

The Crown will not pursue a retrial for Stephen Ralph Stone, whose convictions were quashed in October.

It’s been over 25 years since the “Gone Fishing” double-murder trial, which had already been considered a cold case.

Stone was released from prison after the Court of Appeal found a miscarriage of justice, but he remained on bail as the Crown mulled a retrial.

The Crown has decided against pursuing a retrial for Stephen Ralph Stone, following the quashing of his convictions from a 25-year-old double-murder case. Stone is now a free man, having been released from prison in October, although he had been under bail conditions until a planned 2026 trial. The Auckland Crown Solicitor emphasized that the case now revolves around what can be established with admissible evidence.

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