Mother takes stand against tutor accused of murdering her daughter

Lesley Elliott (inset) told the court she forced her way into her daughter's room to find her being stabbed. Photos / Supplied, Herald on Sunday

Sophie Elliott's mother has been questioned about her daughter's past relationships in the High Court, including one which ended with "unpleasant things" being said about her on a website.

Lesley Elliott has been giving evidence on the second day of the murder trial of former Otago University economics tutor Clayton Weatherston.

Weatherston, 33, denies murdering Sophie Elliott, 22, in the bedroom of her Dunedin family on January 9 last year, but has admitted manslaughter. He says he was provoked by Miss Elliott and lost control.

Miss Elliott died after suffering 216 stabbing or cutting wounds. She had been in a relationship with Weatherston, who was also tutored her at Otago University.

Mrs Elliott has told the court how she walked in on Weatherston straddling and stabbing her bloodied daughter.

Questioned today by Weatherston's lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr QC, Mrs Elliott agreed a relationship Miss Elliott had with a person before Weatherston ended acrimoniously.

Unpleasant things had been written about Miss Elliott on a website which concerned Mrs Elliott and her husband.

Mrs Elliott said her daughter's relationship with this former boyfriend was quite loving, and it was only at the end it "fell apart" after Miss Elliott broke it off.

Asked if she knew about an incident where Miss Elliott had "got physical" with this past boyfriend, and scratched his face, Mrs Elliott said she did not.

Mrs Elliott said her daughter's relationship with Weatherston was unlike any other, in that it did not seem as loving.

Miss Elliott had told her mother of an assault by Weatherston 13 days before she was killed. She decided not to go to the police about it.

Asked by Mrs Ablett-Kerr if there might be two sides to the story, Mrs Elliott said no. Her daughter was a very truthful person and was very upset after the incident, which she would not have been without reason.

Later, there had been an incident in Weatherston's university office where Weatherston claimed Miss Elliott had assaulted him.

Mrs Elliott said she was aware her daughter had spoken with a senior lecturer at Otago University, about her problems with Weatherston, when this lecturer was one of those marking Weatherston's thesis.

Weatherston had blamed Miss Elliott for missing out on a full-time lecturer's position at the university, the court has heard.

Mrs Elliott said she did not see Weatherston and her daughter kiss when he arrived at the family home the day Miss Elliott died.