Brother declined sailing offer

By Eugene Bingham and Alison Horwood

Scott Watson wanted his older brother to go sailing with him in the days after it is alleged he murdered Olivia Hope and Ben Smart. The offer was declined, but was taken up by his sister.

Part of the crown case is that Watson's yacht, Blade, was extensively and selectively cleaned to remove all evidence. The only fingerprints found belonged to Scott and his sister Sandra Jo.

Thomas John Watson told the court yesterday that he saw his brother on January 3 last year when the accused turned up at their parents' place in Picton after several days away.

Mr Watson said his brother asked him to sail to Nelson, but he had work commitments and needed to return to Christchurch.

"He [then] asked Sandy if she would like to go sailing with him and she said it would be okay, but she would have to be back for work," Mr Watson told the High Court at Wellington.

Asked by crown prosecutor Paul Davison, QC, how well the accused and his sister got on, he said: "They are fairly close. They get on well."

Mr Watson, a service fitter who spent six years in the Navy, was called as a crown witness at his brother's murder trial yesterday.

The Crown alleges Watson lured Olivia and Ben on board Blade and murdered them after celebrations at Furneaux Lodge in the Marlborough Sounds on New Year's Eve. He denies murdering the pair.

Mr Watson said he had taken his wife, Trudy, and their three young children to visit his parents on New Year's Eve 1997. They arrived about 6 pm, by which time the accused had already left for Furneaux Lodge.

On New Year's Day, Mr Watson and his family went out in his small runabout to see if they could catch up with his brother.

Despite keeping a watch out for Blade, they could not see it during their journey to Endeavour Inlet and back past Tory Channel.

Two days later, Mr Watson was looking after his children at his parents' house when Watson turned up.

"There was nothing out of the ordinary," said Mr Watson. "He was wearing the clothes he normally wore when he had been out sailing."

The defendant's hair was "uncombed," a little bit curly over the ears and down to the top of the collar. His nose had a small scar, which Watson said had been caused by sunburn.

After showering, Watson played outside with water guns and a hose with his two eldest nephews.

Later, Mr Watson and his brother walked down to the Toot N Whistle Inn for dinner with their sister and Trudy Watson.

Mr Watson returned to Christchurch that evening, the last time he would see his brother for some time.

Earlier, he had given evidence about taking a trip in Blade with Watson about May 1997.

They were heading for Auckland, but had to turn back after mechanical failure off the coast of Taranaki.

During that journey, Mr Watson said his brother used the marine radio several times, referring to his boat by the name "Caligula."

Under cross-examination, Mr Watson said he and his father, Chris, had retrieved the yacht from the police in Easter last year.

After picking it up from the Marlborough Sounds, they sailed to the Port of Lyttelton, where they carried out maintenance work and painted the cabin.

A plane swooped overhead three times as they headed south, flying from the coast, circling overhead and then returning to shore.

When they arrived at the mooring in Lyttelton, Mr Watson walked to a public phone to ring for a ride when he saw some more strange behaviour.

"A car came around the corner ... locked up, screeched, and a fella in the car was rummaging around looking for something to write on," said Mr Watson.

The man did not get out of his car and Mr Watson did not know who he was.

Earlier, the court heard from four people who were fishing with Ted and Eyvonne Walsh in Cannibal Cove on January 2.

The couple told the court on Tuesday that while they were there, a distinctive ketch with a blond woman on board sailed past.

None of the witnesses yesterday recalled seeing such a boat.