Court told tutor's relationship with student one of extremes

The High Court at Christchurch has heard how the relationship between economics tutor Clayton Weatherston and student Sophie Elliott appeared to be one of emotional extremes – either extremely happy or extremely unhappy.

Ms Elliott's best friend Jessica Smith today told defence counsel Greg King the relationship seemed to her to be either all on or all off. She had advised Ms Elliott against her involvement as she thought it unwise, given Weatherston was one of Ms Elliott's teachers.

But she agreed, apart from one incident when she saw her friend upset because of Weatherston's failure to turn up for an appointment, everything she knew about the relationship came from Ms Elliott.

She recalled Ms Elliott's comments about being sexually dissatisfied with Weatherston – "on many levels" - and agreed her friend could be"fairly graphic", even talking about the size of body parts. Ms Elliott had also discussed her relationships with other partners and Miss Smith agreed she was perhaps making comparisons "in a roundabout way".

She was not aware of Ms Elliott talking about assaulting Weatherston. But she was "vaguely aware" of something she said about attacking and scratching a former partner.

Miss Smith agreed with Mr King there had been a disagreement between her and Ms Elliott when they were on holiday in Australia in November, 2007.

She knew Ms Elliott was missing Weatherston. She also missed her mother but they sorted their differences and continued travelling together.

She was aware Ms Elliott had a sexual relationship with an Australian man she met on the Gold Coast and also with a Dutchman who was possibly going to visit her in Wellington the next year when she was working at Treasury.

Asked if she knew about Ms Elliott's involvement with a married man in
Dunedin, Miss Smith agreed she did.

Another good friend, Erin Vanderwater, described the relationship between Ms Elliott and Weatherston as "odd".

It was not often someone would say their boyfriend had told them he was "far too good" for her and that she was "very lucky to be seeing him as he was so much better than her", Miss Vanderwater told the court.

From what she saw of Ms Elliott, the relationship badly affected her self confidence.

The evidence is being given on the fifth day of 33-year-old Weatherston's trial for murdering Ms Elliott (22) on January 9 last year.

He stabbed or cut her 216 times but denies a charge of murder. The defence argues for manslaughter, which Weatherston has admitted, on the basis of provocation from the emotional pain of the relationship and Ms Elliott attacking him with the scissors.

The case is expected to take about three weeks and is being heard by Justice Judith Potter and jury in the High Court in Christchurch.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES