I didn't see knife, witness tells trial

File photo / APN

The partner of murder accused Baz Michael Edmonds said today she had never seen the knife that was used to stab Andre James de la Mare to death in August last year.

Virginia Helen Watson, shown the knife in the High Court in Christchurch this morning, said it did not belong to her or Edmonds.

Edmonds, 40, has denied murdering Mr de la Mare during a neighbourhood dispute in the Christchurch suburb of Philipstown, on August 25, 2009.

The origin of the knife has been described as a key aspect of the case.

The defence, which is claiming self-defence, says the knife was taken to the scene of the confrontation by Mr de la Mare, but Edmonds managed to get it off him.

Miss Watson said she spent the afternoon smoking and drinking on the porch of her home with Edmonds and his workmates.

She said that by the time the workmates left, about 6pm, Edmonds had drunk a lot. "He was pretty drunk. He could not even get his food in his mouth when he tried to eat his tea."

Ms Watson said that about 7pm, a man came to the door saying someone was chasing him and he wanted to hide.

She did not recognise him and refused entry.

An argument developed and Edmonds came out.

The man, who gave his name as Andre, then threatened them. "He said he was going to get his mates to come around and smash us over because we would not let him in the house."

Edmonds began pushing the man and she then went inside because she did not like fighting.

Edmonds came inside later, with a badly cut finger. She went outside to see if Mr de la Mare had gone, and saw him lying across the road, partly on the grass verge. His eyes were open, but he did not respond, so she called an ambulance.

Questioned by defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger, Miss Watson said she did not see Edmonds holding anything, such as a knife, when he came out of the house.

Stephen Meadows, brother of Mr de la Mare's partner, gave evidence of being at Mr de la Mare's house during the afternoon. They had been drinking.

He said Mr de la Mare could be stubborn and argumentative but he had never known him to use a knife.

He knew him as a fighter who used his fists or head butted people.

Questioned by Miss Bulger, he agreed he had spoken of Mr de la Mare's fists as "deadly weapons".

He told the court he had never seen the knife - found by the police over the fence of a neighbouring property and produced in court - that was used in the killing.

The trial is continuing.

- NZPA