`Killing rampage' threatened

A man accused of murder told a woman he abducted that he would go on a killing rampage if she tried to escape.
Farm worker Craig Ross, 31, is charged with murdering his boss, 53-year-old farmer Robert Green, at his home near Kaikohe on August 12 last year.
Ross pleaded not guilty to the charge in the High Court in Whangarei last week.
The prosecution says Ross, who worked on Mr Green's farm, took a single-barrelled shotgun and shot him at close range in the back of the head. The defence says it is a case of manslaughter, not murder, because Mr Green had provoked Ross by making unwelcome sexual advances.
Yesterday, the 30-year-old woman kidnapped by Ross said the accused had called her at home on two occasions on the afternoon and evening of August 12. Both calls were made from Mr Green's cellphone.
Sometime after 8pm, Ross had arrived at her house in Mr Green's ute. He told her he had done something stupid and she was going to be involved.
After a short discussion, he had grabbed her and taped her hands and face. She had noticed he was carrying a knife.
Ross had then dragged her into the passenger seat of the ute and driven north of Kaikohe.
The accused had sexually assaulted the woman at a number of locations around the Far North between August 12 and August 14.
Ross had said it did not matter what he did because he was going to rot in jail and she noticed a firearm and shotgun shells in the car, she said.
At some point, Ross had driven up a forestry track where the two had slept.
Ross had then driven north along back roads and had allowed her to use a public toilet when they reached Kaitaia.
"While I was in the toilet I thought about locking myself inside but just before I had gone in he had threatened to go on a rampage killing people if I did anything stupid.
"He had the gun with him and I suddenly realised there was a window up high in the toilet and that he might put the gun in and start shooting."
When she got back in the car they drove towards Ahipara and near Ninety Mile Beach he told the woman he "might as well have his last supper" - spaghetti on bread.
He had then driven south toward Horeke and stopped at a forestry block in the early hours of Saturday, August 14. He listened to the news at 7am and said he might as well give himself up because a description of his truck had been broadcast.
"He went to turn on his cellphone and said, `let the games begin'." He had driven to a quarry where he was later arrested.
In cross-examination, the woman said she believed Robert Green was homosexual.
The court also heard it was extremely likely blood found on a shirt worn by Ross had originated from Mr Green and that parts of a sawn-down shotgun were found in Ross' house.
(Proceeding)