The mother of two dead girls told Bruce Howse she had murdered them and he had to take the blame, a High Court jury in Wellington was told in Howse's third videotaped version of what happened the night the Masterton schoolgirls were killed.
Howse has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Saliel Aplin, 12, and Olympia Jetson, 11, in the early hours of last December 4.
The girls were found stabbed to death in the sleepout of their home in Kippenberger St, Masterton.
Yesterday, the jury watched a police video interview with Howse in which he said his partner, Charlene Aplin, admitted killing the girls.
In earlier video interviews, Howse had talked of intruders who attacked him, before changing his story and confessing to the killings.
A week after that confession, he asked to talk to police again.
He told Detective Brendan Mears that Ms Aplin had been moody and abusive all day, upset that she had to clean up on her day off work.
He described several incidents in which Ms Aplin abused him and the children, including one where she told Saliel, after a fight with a broom, that she was going to make her pay.
Howse said Ms Aplin "bitched and was ranting and raving" about him fixing the pantry doors. She was also sick and tired of all the trouble the children had been causing.
He went into the sleepout before 10pm to ask Saliel if she had seen a letter of his.
While he was there Olympia asked him for a kiss goodnight.
Howse said that when he went out about 10pm to call his lawyer, he remembered slamming the ranchslider shut and when he returned it was open.
He went to the bedroom and found Ms Aplin shivering and shaking. They talked for a while and he went to the kitchen.
Later he heard the shower running and asked who it was. Ms Aplin said it was her and she had her period, and he thought that was why she was moody.
But she came into the lounge later and said, "I've killed the kids."
Howse said he did not believe her at first.
She showed him a knife in the sink covered in blood. She held it out to him and he grabbed it when she looked shaky.
Ms Aplin then asked him to take the blame for her and Howse said no. She asked him several times and finally he thought about what he could do.
"If I take the rap, I'm going to be in serious shit here."
Howse said Ms Aplin had asked him to take the blame because she wanted to be at the children's funeral.
He said he went to the sleepout and saw a hump in one of the beds like a body, and also saw someone on the ground.
He saw blood but was too scared to check if the girls were breathing.
Howse said he went back into the house and beat himself up, then got Ms Aplin to call the police.
He said he did not tell her the story he had thought up.
Mr Mears asked Howse about Ms Aplin having custody of his children, and reminded him that several days before the interview he had been relieved to hear the children were with her.
Howse said he was worried about the children and what Ms Aplin might do. He said he had always been there for the children and he loved them.
Mr Mears told defence lawyer Ken Daniels that Howse had become a suspect after several inconsistencies in his story.
The Crown finished its case, and Mr Daniels said the defence would not call any evidence.
The jury will hear closing addresses tomorrow.
- NZPA
Murder accused blamed partner
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.