Bain's 111 call: They're all dead

David Bain listening to evidence at his murder retrial. Pool photo

David Bain urged emergency services to hurry to his home because his family were all dead, but could not explain to police how he knew this when he had only found the bodies of his parents.

The High Court in Christchurch heard yesterday that when it was put to Bain that either he or his father Robin were likely responsible for the death of five members of his family, he replied: "If it was Dad, I would be very disappointed."

Statements Bain made to police were read to the court on day seven of his murder retrial, while the initial part of his 111 call was also played. But the part in which Telecom operator Frances Edwards said Bain told her "f*** up and shut up", was not heard.

The prosecution says Bain shot dead his parents and three siblings on June 20, 1994. The defence says it was Robin Bain who killed his estranged wife and three of his children before turning the rifle on himself.

In the 111 recording, Bain told ambulance operator Thomas Dempsey: "They're all dead. They're all dead. I came home and they're all dead."

Mr Dempsey said the call was unique in his experience "in that it was straightforward" getting the basic information from Bain that he often struggled to get in other emergencies.

Bain told police he left the house that day at 5.45am and ran most of his paper round with his dog Casey before returning home.

He said he went into his mother's room and found her lying with blood all over her head and face, her eyes open and her skin pale.

"I ran out, calling for my father and ran into the lounge, I don't know why. I saw him, he was grey/white. I saw the blood on his jacket. All I saw was his face."

Asked why he thought his father would be in the lounge, Bain said: "I don't know why I did that. There was no hesitation, I just went straight in there."

Bain said he then called the police.

"All I remember is calling 111 and dragging my phone into my room, and banging on the door. And I remember the ambulance officers."

Bain said he did not go into the rooms where his siblings, Laniet, Arawa and Stephen lay dead.

Detective Gregory Dunne said when he asked Bain how he knew his whole family were dead when he had seen only his parents, he replied: "I don't know."

Bain also told police he could not explain a period of 25 minutes between finding his parents dead and calling 111, but said he had been "spacing out" over the past couple of months.

Mr Dunne said he went the next day to where Bain was staying and found him upset and sobbing.

"He told me that he couldn't help it. The black hands were coming to get them, that he was not able to stop them. He said if he had run home he may have saved them. He said hands were pulling them away and he wanted to blame someone."

Mr Dunne said he then discussed with Bain three options for who could have been responsible for the deaths of his family. The first was that a stranger had been responsible, which he said they both discounted.

The others were him and Robin. "To which David replied: 'If it was Dad, I would be very disappointed'. It was a most unusual response".

Bain said he kept the keys to the .22 rifle found next to Robin's body, but his father was familiar with it and could have taken it while he was away.

He told police his father had an argument over use of the chainsaw the day before the killings. He said this "pushing and pulling" happened constantly. "He was asserting his authority ... It's always been like that."