Weatherston takes the stand at murder trial News Video

Описание: Murder accused Clayton Weatehrston has given evidence in his own defence at the High Court in Christchurch.

Weatherston, 33, is accused of killing former student girlfriend Sophie Elliott in January last year by stabbing her over 200 times.

He has denied murdering Elliott but has admitted her manslaughter.

The defence opened its case on Wednesday afternoon.

Weatherston told the court of growing up, saying he enjoyed the academic side of primary and secondary school, although he was terrified of exams.

He said that he didn't like to wear his glasses, in the fear of being teased. He said he was more "flashy, more image conscious" than his brother.

He also told the court he was the baby of his family and was very close with his mother and sister.


He told the court of his regular counselling visits, and that he first saw a psychotherapist at Otago University in 2000 and was then referred to a psychiatrist who prescribed anti depressants.

He said he continued seeing a counsellor when he moved to Wellington for a job at the Treasury because of stress.

Weatherston said his mental wellbeing took a blow from living in the capital and he eventually returned to Dunedin to begin his PhD studies.

He spent nearly two hours in the witness box.

Earlier, in his opening, lawyer Greg King told the court the Crown's case that Weatherston was a cold blooded pre-meditated murderer is ludicrous, and that he was provoked.

He told the court that Weatherston knifed his ex-girlfriend to death, after she attacked him with a pair of scissors.

King says Weatherston then "just lost it".

King told the court Weatherston has a complex psychological makeup and found it difficult to deal with the tumultuous relationship he had with Elliott.