The man accused of raping and murdering an Auckland mother-of-three has said he "panicked" when he hit the victim and only took her away in his car to be home before his curfew.
The trial for the 27-year-old accused of Blessie Gotingco's murder - who has name suppression but whose image (pictured) is allowed to be published - began in the High Court at Auckland on Tuesday.
Justice Timothy Brewer told the jury yesterday the defendant had elected to represent himself and his former lawyer, Chris Wilkinson-Smith, would become his amicus - assisting him rather than representing him.
He said the Crown's suggestions about time and cause of death had not been proven and would not be by the end of the trial.
The defendant said evidence would show he "panicked" when he put the wounded Mrs Gotingco in his car and took her home because he wanted to comply with his 8pm curfew.