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A former girlfriend of murder-accused Clayton Weatherston has told the High Court in Christchurch that he once kicked her across the room.
The woman, whose name and occupation is suppressed, said she was in a relationship with Weatherston from 2004 to August 2007, when he ended it.
Weatherston, 33, is accused of stabbing his former girlfriend Sophie Elliott, 22, to death at her home on 9 January last year.
The witness, who was Weatherston’s girlfriend before he started dating Elliott, recounted a violent incident in the latter half of 2006 when he had kicked her across the floor. He admits her manslaughter but denies the murder charge.
She had rushed to the bathroom and Weatherston would not let her leave. He had kicked her in the back and the ribs and her knee had hit her nose which started bleeding, she told the High Court in Christchurch. Her eye was bruised in the assault.
“I felt trapped,” she said.
He would not let her leave the house and took her car keys because he wanted to talk about it.
“I told if him if you don’t get help I will leave you,” she said.
She recovered and she got very annoyed and told him to get help.
Weatherston had, according to Elliott, denied a previous violent incident in his bedroom on December 27, 2007, and had accused her of making up stories and being crazy.
Earlier in the day, Elliott’s friend Erin van de Water, told the High Court in Christchurch Elliott had told her of a meeting she had with Weatherston on January 7, 2007, in his office in the Economics Department at Otago University. As Elliott was leaving Weatherston had accused her of ruining his career and Elliott believed he had tried to push her down the stairs. As Elliott was leaving Weatherston had accused her of ruining his career and Elliott believed he had tried to push her down the stairs.
She heard from Elliott how Weatherston thought he was much better than her and she was lucky to be going out with him. They would often “vent” on their personal life and she became aware of the relationship with Weatherston.
Elliott often wondered if they had a relationship as Weatherston would want to spend quality time with his ex-girlfriend who was supposed to be the most amazing person. . By Christmas they did not seem to be a couple any more.
Van de Water, a make-up artist, said Elliott felt her self esteem was damaged by Weatherston’s comments and her confidence was noticeably knocked. She reported that earlier that day she had visited Weatherston to give him a photo album of his graduation.
On December 27 Elliott had come to her house and looked shaky and flushed. He had made insulting remarks about her appearance saying her chin was too pointy and her eyes were too far apart. Weatherston had started shouting and forced her on to his bed and put his arm on her throat.
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