Two a penny

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Clayton Weatherston says Sophie Elliott was an attempted murderer and she has won a “contrived legacy”.

Weatherston is giving evidence for a fourth day at the Christchurch High Court in his own defence at his trial for the murder of Sophie Elliott. He says it was manslaughter, not murder, because he was provoked.

He admits killing Elliott, 22, at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year. . Weatherston, 33, has been on the stand all day, giving evidence under cross examination at his trial for the murder of Elliott, 22.

“In my view she is an attempted murderer,” Weatherston said.

Weatherston said Elliott had a “contrived legacy” and there had been a “misrepresentation of her character”.

“For it to be portrayed in a different light … that’s just the way it is.

He says he was provoked to kill Elliott by a relationship full of difficulties and an attack by Elliott on him with a pair of scissors. Society moves forward. Clearly, I’m in this position.”

Weatherston agreed he had told a psychologist that he was “over it,”referring to the case against him for killing Elliott. I was at that point a little bit frustrated. … I was exhausted,” Weatherston said

“I was saturated by it.

“That was a flippant comment.. . I just wanted an accurate depiction of events and of the characters involved..

Bates suggested Weatherston had locked the bedroom door with the intention of attacking and killing Elliott.”

Bates probed Weatherston over what had happened in Elliott’s bedroom when he stabbed her 216 times, killing her at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year.

“I’m assuming that too,” Weatherston said.

It appeared he had killed her in the corner of her bedroom, Bates said.

“Um, I think I saw.

“Um, I think I saw. … I’m not sure. I don’t know,” Weatherston said.

Weatherston said he thought the scissors and the blade he had used were left on the floor of the bedroom.

He did not recall telling an officer the knife was “probably under her” but could remember saying he had used scissors on Elliott “at the end”.

Police had found the blade underneath Elliott’s body.

Justice Potter asked Weatherston: “You were right about that, weren’t you?”

Weatherston said he was.

“Prior to the officer coming in I could see certain things around. I looked at my hand and I could see a cutting wound in my hand and I was trying to work out …” Weatherston said.

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The man at the centre of an Auckland motorway drama that ended in the fatal shooting of a young courier has pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including several counts of shooting at police.

Stephen Hohepa McDonald, 50, appeared in Auckland District Court this afternoon and pleaded guilty to 23 charges.”I’ve put my hand up and taken responsibility for what I’ve done but what about the cops that shot that kid?,” McDonald told the court following his guilty pleas.The number of charges he faced was reduced from 35 after a day of negotiations with police.

Judge Eddie Paul said he could not respond, but granted name suppression to the police officers involved in the shooting until sentencing on September 22.His statement referred to the police shooting of courier driver Halatau Naitoko, 17, following a police chase through the streets of West Auckland and a shoot out with officers on the North Western Motorway on January 23.

In May, police decided no staff members would be charged in relation to Mr Naitoko’s death.

Suppression was based on the seriousness of the offending, the sensitive nature of sentencing in respect of the death of a member of the public and the high public interest in this case.

. Judge Paul convicted McDonald and remanded him in custody till sentencing in the High Court at Auckland

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LATEST:
One man injured in a boiler explosion at a school north of Auckland has died.

The explosion happened at Orewa College at 2.

Middlemore Hospital confirmed the death this morning.40pm yesterday.

The man had been transferred to the hospital’s burns unit last night after he the other man were flown toAuckland Hospital by Westpac rescue helicopter yesterday.

Police expect to release his name today.

The other man, believed to have significant head injuries, remains in a critical condition.

St John Ambulance spokesman Murray Bannister said he was understood to have burns to 90 per cent of his body.

Fire safety officer Ray Coleman said he and Department of Labour investigators were back at the scene today.

INVESTIGATION

Investigators said this morning it was too early to tell what caused the fatal explosion and fire.

He spent about three hours at the school yesterday gathering information before darkness fell.

Mr Coleman, who is trying to determine the cause and the source of the fire, said it was too early to reach any conclusion.

“That’s why we closed down last night.

“It’s early days,” he said. . It was just too dark to even be hypothesising.

Orewa College Deputy principal Mark Quigley said the school had problems with its boiler on Tuesday and called in contractors Tubman Heating Services to take a look at it.”

Mr Coleman expected to remain on site for the rest of the day, while the department, which investigates all workplace accidents, could be there for a few days.

A witness said the explosion broke thick glass windows and lifted up a portion of the boiler-room roof.

One of the contractors and the school’s senior groundsman “Rick” were in the boiler room doing maintenance when the “steam explosion” happened, he said.

Mr Quigley said a second contractor was outside the boiler room and was unhurt. “The whole school shook,” he said.

The school, which has a roll of about 1700, was closed today.

Mr Quigley said three staff members rushed to the injured men as soon as they heard the bang.

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Man hit by taxi may have been pushed

Monday, 16 February 2009

A man left in a critical condition after being hit by a taxi in Napier may have been pushed in front of it, police say.
Police started an investigation after the 34-year-old man was hit by a taxi carrying two passengers in Milton Rd just after 1.
He received "extensive" injuries and was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit of Hawke's Bay Hospital last night.30am yesterday.
Police had been unable to speak with him because of his condition, which included serious head and bone injuries.
Detective Emmet Lynch said the man had attended a party in the same street where he was injured and could have been involved in an altercation on the footpath before he was hit.
"There's a lot of speculation but we don't know without more information.
"Either he's fallen, or he's been pushed, maybe he was fleeing from being assaulted, perhaps he may have walked in to it.
Witnesses had said there was "some drama" on the footpath before the incident."
Mr Lynch said the hilly street was not well lit and the taxi driver did not see the local man "until it was too late".
One was described as a slightly-built Maori, about 16 years old, with short hair.
Mr Lynch said police wanted to speak with witnesses, including the three young men who had been seen with the man before the incident near the intersection with Cameron Rd.
The second was a dark-skinned Maori or Polynesian, aged about 16. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black jeans and white shoes.
The third was a Maori aged about 17, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. He had his hair tied in a ponytail with two curly lengths down each side of his face.

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Sea Shepherd flees whalers over boarding fears

– Monday, 09 February 2009

A militant anti-whaling organisation which has battled Japanese whalers south of New Zealand says it is pulling out, fearing they are about to be boarded. .
"I have said always said that we would do everything we can short of hurting people to end illegal whaling in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary," said he said.
In a media statement the ship's captain, Paul Watson, says the group will return with a faster and longer range ship.
The whaling fleet this year deployed acoustical devices and water cannons against the Sea Shepherd crew.
Confrontations between those onboard the Steve Irwin and the whaling fleet have resulted in numerous close calls and two collisions resulting in minor damage.38 from Fiji to intercept the Steve Irwin.
Watson claimed he had information that the Japanese government had dispatched a security vessel called the Taiyo Maru No.
"We cannot allow this documentation to be captured by Japan," said Watson.
He said the ship is believed to be carrying a special boarding unit and has orders to seize the ship and all video evidence aboard Steve Irwin. The ship had only another four days of fuel reserves to remain with the fleet before being forced to return anyway.
The Steve Irwin will be returning to Australia and is expected to arrive within the next two weeks.
"Another four days is simply not worth getting someone killed."

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Prostitutes tempt clients with deals

By KEITH LYNCH – Saturday, 07 February 2009

Stacy Squires/
NO LET UP: Christchurch brothel owner Felicity James says her business has not yet been hit by the recession. .
Even the oldest profession in the world is not recession-proof, and the city's sex workers are trimming prices and providing special services.
"The lunchtime special -$50 for 15 minutes – makes up 90 per cent of my work now because a lot of people are not going to book an hour or half an hour," she said.
Phebe, who describes herself as a busty blonde, is offering a $50 lunchtime special to attract clients. A lot of girls out there are doing things and offering services they wouldn't normally do, but I've just come up with this special and dropped my prices.
"I've also had to drop my prices to bring in the same amount of business."
Another escort, Loretta, 26, is offering a service called double-trouble to bring in business. Now you've got to have a hook or offer something different," she said.
"This is our hook. It's a tease.
"The service [which costs $80] involves one lady offering full service while another watches.
"I've been working a couple of years and people just don't have the money they used to," she said."
Loretta said the recession had hit her prices hard.
"I used to charge $100 for half an hour and $160 for the full hour.
"I used to charge $100 for half an hour and $160 for the full hour."
The Christchurch co-ordinator of the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective, Anna Reed, said: "The first thing that goes in a recession is discretionary income, and nobody is making much money.
"Competition is up, too, and there are girls out there offering full service for $40. "We have heard of some girls being forced to go to work in Auckland and Wellington."
She said there had been reports of prostitutes moving elsewhere to get work. Felicity James, of Felicity's brothel in Lichfield St in central Christchurch, said she had not seen a drop in business."
Not all prostitutes are being hit by the recession.
"They work their own hours, they have more independence and they have autonomy, but not the protection we can offer.
"We have seen a drop in staff levels here as women opt to work as escorts at home," she said. Ideally, I'd want 26, but I expect an influx next week when the children go back to school.
"Right now I only have 12 girls.
"People will always buy food, alcohol, drugs, coffee, and sex.
"People will always buy food, alcohol, drugs, coffee, and sex. A lot of men are stressed and want a release," she said.
"We haven't been forced to drop our prices. We get about 150 clients on average a week, and this number is staying steady."

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Vets warn of fat pets risk

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Bert the fox terrier tipped the scales at 32kg before being put on a weight-loss programme.

Owners of pets risk killing them with kindness as a human obesity and diabetes epidemic is being mirrored among animals, vets say.
In serious cases, diabetic dogs and cats would require regular insulin injections, just like humans.
Mike Gething, who runs a vet clinic in Auckland, said the number of cats and dogs diagnosed with diabetes had risen by 20 per cent in the past decade, with up to 10 new cases at his clinic this year. "Middle age to older dogs and cats that are obese are at higher risk.
Although more animals were being diagnosed, and environmental and hereditary factors played a role, many of the cases were the result of obesity, he said.
"People let their dogs and cats carry more weight than they should. Right now we're treating nine dogs and seven cats for diabetes."
Nick Cooper, of Johnsonville's Care Vets, said he had also noticed a high incidence of fat pets, especially cats. Dogs are around when a family is eating and they can't resist giving them food. It's not just diabetes, the weight affects their joints, movement and quality of life. "A lot of owners think they are just cuddly. "Just like people, the best way for animals to lose weight is more exercise and less food."
SPCA vet Cristina Gans said trends in the United States had established a clear link between obese animals and diabetes."
Dr Gething said though treatment for diabetes would normally save the animals, all dogs and many cats would have to have insulin for the rest of their lives. Owners should work out a diet plan with their vets. "If an animal is morbidly obese, diabetes is a risk but often we see pets that aren't obese.
Wellington vet Kerry Burke said diabetic animals were not necessarily over-weight and the increase in reported diabetes could be the result of more pets being taken for check-ups."

. Obesity is a factor but it's not a huge factor

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Parents feared ‘baby girl’ was dead

Families united in their pain

– Sunday, 28 September 2008

The parents of the woman police claim was the target of a fatal stabbing have told how they were terrified their "baby girl" had been murdered.
Devonport father of three Austin Hemmings, 45, was stabbed to death in Auckland's CBD on Thursday evening after attempting to fend off a man who was allegedly attacking a female relative.
The accused made a brief court appearance, charged with one count of male assaults female but police said more serious charges were imminent.
As Austin attempted to call police from his cellphone he was stabbed in the chest, allegedly by a man who was located the following morning at a south Auckland flat.
But yesterday her parents spoke of hearing about the Mills Lane tragedy the street where their daughter worked and "immediately" thinking she was the slain victim.
The 25-year-old woman Austin tried to help was last night in hiding with a close friend.
"I was just so shocked, so upset.
"I thought `that is my baby girl, my little girl is dead'," the mother told from her west Auckland, home.
The woman's parents had been praying since Austin's death. How could this have happened?"
The mother said the arrested man was a distant relative. He saved my daughter's life.
"We are spending much time thinking about Austin.
"My girl is the person who always helps everyone else, so to see other people coming for her rescue is just amazing. How can I ever repay that kindness," the father told .
The head of the police homicide inquiry last night confirmed the fears of the woman's family."
The Western Samoan parents said they haven't spoken to their daughter whose name is suppressed but planned to attend church as a family tomorrow.
Asked if the accused had been in a relationship with the woman, Whitley responded: "I can't make any comment about that.
"He has gone there specifically to see her," Detective Senior Sergeant Gerry Whitley said."
has learned armed police guarded the home of the woman until the accused had been apprehended.
"I would like to but that is a purely operational matter.
Meanwhile, members of Grey Lynn Samoan Methodist Church which the woman's family have attended since she was born will this morning meet and pray for Austin's family.
"We didn't want another fatality on our hands," said one police source.
He would offer to participate in Austin's funeral service.
Reverend Ioane Tuupo said the congregation had been severely affected by the tragedy but their faith in God would help them get through.
"It is not a nice feeling knowing that a member of your church could have died," Tuupo said.
"It is not a nice feeling knowing that a member of your church could have died," Tuupo said.
"She is a very courageous, supportive and helpful young lady. I rely on her in this church."
The deeply religious woman says on her social networking page that "too many" people "go around not knowing" or being "scared" of the "unknown".
Nalesoni Tupou, one of the lawyers representing the accused, last night attacked media coverage of the incident, saying he was "greatly concerned" by the public sympathy for Austin.
"I respect the loss of the father but with all the emotions running like this you have to wonder how we will get a fair trial."
Tupou had not yet discussed with his client the events of Thursday but said he was "pleased to be in custody".
Meanwhile, Austin's family wife of 25 years, Jenny, daughters Meghann, 19, and Jessica, 17, and son Gareth, 16 said they planned to scatter his ashes in Israel.
"He wanted to go to Israel," said Jenny, an art teacher at Takapuna Grammar. "He just wanted to see where a lot of the Bible happened walk where Jesus walked. So what we're going to do, he's going to be cremated and we're going to do that trip for him."
Jenny said she hoped her husband's death would inspire more people to find God.
"I want everyone to be talking about Austin … We have got too much violence in our society. The only way to change that is to change what's in our hearts.
"One of the greatest wishes in Austin's life was that people come to know God. And he had to die to get his message to the nation."
Austin's funeral will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Devonport, on Wednesday at 1.30pm.