Officer admits 'Hang Bain' writing on his wall was wrong, court told

Retired police officer Milton Weir at the trial of David Bain (inset). Photos / Pool

A key member of the police murder inquiry into David Bain had a slogan written on his Dunedin home referring to hanging Bain, a court has heard.

Milton Weir, a detective sergeant in charge of the Bain house crime scene after the death of Bain's family, was asked today in the High Court in Christchurch about a witness seeing the slogan "Hang David Bain" painted or spray-painted on his home around 2002.

There was also evidence of the witness seeing a "stick-like drawing pertaining to represent David Bain".

Mr Weir told Bain's lawyer, Michael Reed QC, that the words, "Hang Bain" had been spray-painted on an area of plaster by the door on his house that was to be removed.

He said it was only there for a short time, and it was inappropriate. It came after a function celebrating a Court of Appeal decision on the Bain case in the police's favour.

David Bain is now on trial accused of shooting dead his parents and three siblings, but his defence team say his father Robin killed his family before turning the rifle on himself.

Mr Weir, whose credibility has been examined in various inquiries, said the slogan would have been written in response to a lot of stress on he and his family.

"I accept it was unreasonable to do that. Inappropriate."

Mr Weir was also questioned today about a pair of socks and a personal note delivered to him by a prostitute named Petra while he was working with the police. It came after police learned that David's sister, Laniet, had been working as a prostitute.

Mr Weir said he had visited a brothel where the prostitute worked in a formal capacity, but found the package bizarre. He said he could not remember any personal note.

Mr Weir was also asked by Mr Reed about an A4-sized electronic notebook belonging to Laniet, which a computer expert said he was handed in 1994 to examine.

But Mr Weir said he had no knowledge of this electronic notebook.

"I know nothing about it."

Mr Reed described it as "very curious" that Mr Weir did not know about it.

Mr Reed today put it to Mr Weir that he had planted a glasses lens in bedroom of David's brother Stephen, that has since become important in the case, because police say it came from glasses worn by David when he struggled with Stephen on the morning of the killings.

Mr Weir "categorically" denied it.

"There is no way that I planted the lens in that room."