Stefan's mother, Giselle, a research nurse, had to leave court when the evidence in the case became too harrowing. Following the hearing she said her son's killer had mimicked a game called Manhunt, developed by Edinburgh-based Rockstar North, in which the players score points for violent killings. Manhunt was banned six months ago in New Zealand by censorship officials. Mrs Pakeerah said: "I heard some of Warren's friends say that he was obsessed by this game. "To quote from the website that promotes it, it calls it a psychological experience, not a game, and it encourages brutal killing."