Interlude 'worst part of holiday'

WELLINGTON - A man told the court that Scott Watson was the worst part of his summer boating holiday in Marlborough Sounds.

Nicholas Cooper, who chartered the boat Jans Coastal with friends, went ashore to the Furneaux Lodge about 9 on New Year's Eve 1997.

The atmosphere was great at the main bar inside the lodge, with one exception, he told the court.

He and his friend, Raymond Thomas Padden, spent 20 to 30 minutes talking to a man who kept repeating the phrase "dog on a chain," after every statement.

"He was probably the worst part of our holiday."

Mr Cooper, a Lower Hutt general manager, said that he and his companion eventually told the man to get lost.

"He said 'dog on a chain,' but then he backed off," he said. The man then went to talk to two women at the bar, who looked uncomfortable in his presence.

His fellow boatie, Mr Padden, said the man told them that "dog on a chain" was Australian gang talk. He said they got on well during the conversation, until the end.

"Then it turned bad," he said. "I swore at him and he left."

Mr Padden said the man was wearing a blue denim shirt, jeans, and was in his early 30s with a weathered face.

"I didn't recognise his picture from the paper, but I recognised him as Scott Watson on TV," he told the court.

Another in their group, Teresa Jane Geddes, said she noticed the man because he used several times the unusual phrase which she had not heard before.

He said something to her, but she ignored him.

"I wasn't interested at all," she said.

The man stood over her and leaned over, but then he left.

Mr Cooper said earlier in court that on December 29 the group went ashore and socialised with Ben Smart.

"We had an excellent night," he said, "he was a really nice guy."