Weatherston jurors due back to consider verdict

The prosecution says Weatherston was clearly in control when he fatally stabbed and cut Sophie Elliott 216 times. Photo / The Press, pool

The jury in the Sophie Elliott murder trial decided to retire overnight and continue its deliberations today, and members were allowed to go home for the night.

They will be back in the jury room to consider the verdict at 9.30am today.

Under new rules, juries do not need to be sequestered together at a hotel when the deliberations continue overnight, and Justice Judith Potter allowed them to return home after the trial's 19th day in the High Court at Christchurch.

Clayton Robert Weatherston, a 33-year-old University of Otago economics lecturer, denies the charge of murder but has indicated he would plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter.

The defence argued that Weatherston was provoked to attack Ms Elliott, 22, and stab her 216 times at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year, while the Crown has said it was a pre-meditated killing.

In her summing up the judge told the jury its verdict in the case "will be simply guilty or not guilty on the charge of murder".

She said no reasons or explanations were required but the verdict had to be unanimous.

The jury retired at 1.40pm after Justice Potter completed her summing up of the trial, and then came back into the court after 5pm so the judge could discuss options with them.

The decision to retire overnight was made at 5.10pm.

- NZPA