More grief for family of victim

The parents of slain university student Sophie Elliott are fortifying themselves for her three-week murder trial - but say the legal system has made them feel like victims all over again.

After 18 months, their daughter's accused killer, Clayton Weatherston, faces the High Court in Christchurch from tomorrow. He has pleaded not guilty to his former girlfriend's murder.

Sophie's father Gil said the 18-month wait, and the relocation of the trial to Christchurch, were "ridiculous". The family still has no idea why the trial was shifted, after the courts suppressed the reasons.

"It has been awful, our lives have been put on hold. It's been terrible, absolutely terrible. I mean, we went through depositions, most of the witnesses were called ... I just get tired of this. The legal system in this country is wrong."

Gil and his wife Lesley will have Sophie's ashes with them when they temporarily move to Christchurch for the trial.

The Elliotts' sons, Chris and Nick, have moved back to New Zealand from Australia after giving up their flats and jobs. The family will be staying in a holiday home near Hagley Park for the duration of the trial.

"The closer it gets, the worse it gets in a way," said Gil. "The thing we accept is the trial is not going to help a lot ... it's not going to be easy hearing all the stuff about Sophie again."

Weatherston, who was 32 at the time, has been charged with murdering Sophie in Dunedin in January last year. The Crown says the 22-year-old was locked in her bedroom at her family's home and stabbed 216 times.

Gil said Lesley and their sons had planted 24 daffodils at Otago University and at Arthur St Primary School, which Sophie attended, on June 11 - her 24th birthday.

"The boys find it very hard still," said Gil. "We have a lot of pictures around the house because we want to be reminded of her, but it makes the boys sad and us too. I think they are affected a bit differently to us. Parents have a different relationship to their children: she was our daughter, our baby.

"Lesley has been drugged to the hilt otherwise she wouldn't be able to sleep at all. I haven't but I don't sleep very well now, I wake up all the time."

Lesley Elliott said she had kept her daughter's bedroom in the same state as it was before the killing. "I have plenty of moments there.

"I miss doing girly things with her like shopping and asking her for advice, I miss that terribly. It's awful but I am slowly getting used to the fact she is no longer around. Last year was awful; I wanted her all the time. I have a lovely niece who I went to the movies with and I kept thinking it should have been Sophie and me."

Lesley is scheduled to testify at the trial.

"I just think of Sophie and I am doing this for her. It sounds weird but I feel privileged I can do it for her."