Jury retires in trial of Karla Cardno's father

The jury retired late this morning to consider its verdicts in the trial of Gary John Duffin and Sharyn Lees Hills, accused of sexually violating a 14-year-old girl.

Duffin and Hills, father and stepmother of slain Lower Hutt schoolgirl Karla Cardno, deny charges of rape, indecent assault and two of unlawful sexual connection. Duffin also faces a second charge of indecent assault.

The jury retired at 11.55am after Justice Warwick Gendall completed his summing up.

The couple are accused of sexually violating the girl to introduce her to life as a prostitute.

The offences allegedly occurred in 1991 -- two years after Karla, aged 13, was kidnapped, raped, tortured and buried alive at a beach at Eastbourne, Wellington.

Her killer, Paul Dally, was jailed for life in 1990.