UPDATE 11.43PM: Aaron George Izett is facing life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.

Izett was sentenced in Tauranga High Court today after being found guilty of the murder of his two-year-old daughter.

A jury of seven men and five women found him guilty in November 2020, following a 12 day trial and 10 hours of deliberations.

Nevaeh Ager's body was found in Little Waihi in the mud flats behind Tio Place in March 2019.

During his trial in 2020, the Crown alleged Izett, a regular methamphetamine user, killed his daughter in a 'meth rage” after assaulting her with a weapon or weapons then placing her in the estuary behind their home to drown.

Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett said the toddler had been subjected to 'assault on assault on assault” before her drowning.

On day one of the trial, Izett admitted killing his daughter.

'Mr Izett accepted he killed his daughter, he accepts he's responsible for her death. . . the physical act is not in dispute,” said defence lawyer Nicholas Chisnell.

During the trial, Chisnell claimed his client should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

'A person may be so disordered in their thinking they lack the capacity to be held responsible for the crime.”

EARLIER:

Aaron George Izett admitted killing his daughter, though he denied murder. Photo: Stuff.

A man found guilty of the murder of his two-year-old daughter is being sentenced today.

Aaron George Izett was found guilty by a jury of seven men and five women following a 12 day trial on November 5, 2020.

Nevaeh Ager's body was found in Little Waihi in the mud flats behind Tio Place in March 2019.

Izett was also found guilty of an assault charge against Nevaeh's great-grandfather John Sturgess and guilty for a wounding charge against Senior Constable Andrew McDonald, who he bit while being arrested.

He was found not guilty on one charge that with intent to cause grievous bodily harm he wounded Jacob Reid.

Izett never denied killing his daughter – on the opening day of the trial defence lawyer Nicholas Chisnall told the jury Izett 'accepted he killed his daughter”.

'He accepts he is responsible for her death ... the physical act is not in dispute,” he said.​

Chisnall claimed, however, that his client should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

The Crown alleged Izett, a regular methamphetamine user, killed his daughter in a 'meth rage” by assaulting her with a weapon or weapons then placing her in the estuary behind their home to drown.

Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett said the toddler had been subjected to 'assault on assault on assault” before her drowning.

It was a trial that hinged less on what Izett had done, the only act he denied was the wounding of Jacob Reid, who was cut across the back of the neck with some type of blade, but on whether he had a ‘disease of the mind', or was insane, at the time of the killing and other alleged offences.

-Additional reporting by Benn Bathgate/Stuff.