Deportation could be on the cards for a 14-year-old boy found guilty of manslaughter for the fatal stabbing of a fellow teen at a Dunedin bus hub last year

The 14-year-old -- who has permanent name suppression -- escaped a murder conviction over the death of Enere Taana-McLaren last May.

The jury returned its unanimous verdict for the lesser charge, after more than two days of deliberations.

Defence lawyer Anne Stevens KC told the court a conviction would trigger a liability for deportation, so the Judge held off on entering one.

The teen - who's on bail at a Christchurch address - will be sentenced in July.