Watson abusive and drunk, witness says

A double-murder trial hears more allegations about the accused's behaviour. EUGENE BINGHAM reports

WELLINGTON - A family's pre-party drinks on a yacht off Furneaux Lodge ended after a confrontation with Scott Watson, his trial heard yesterday.

The man now accused of murdering Olivia Hope and Ben Smart spent the hours before going ashore to the lodge drinking with the family on board their boat on New Year's Eve 1997.

He had arrived in Endeavour Inlet about mid-afternoon and was instructed to raft up next to the boat Mina Cornelia, which the family had chartered for a Marlborough Sounds summer holiday. He had not met the family before then.

As they prepared for the celebrations, Watson joined them, the High Court at Wellington heard yesterday. He was carrying a bottle of rum, and shared their wine as they toasted in the New Year.

One family member, Marcel Cornelus Maria Rutte, said Watson became increasingly drunk and offensive.

The socialising ended soon after Watson became particularly abusive to one of the women on board.

Mr Rutte said they decided to leave their boat as soon as possible so they could ditch Watson on shore.

Watson went with them, but was stopped by bouncers because he was carrying alcohol.

Mr Rutte and his family seized their chance. "We rushed on," he said.

They avoided Watson from then.

The court has heard that Watson's yacht, Blade, had left by early morning. The Crown alleges Watson lured Olivia Hope and Ben Smart on board and murdered them. He has denied the charges.

The jury also heard yesterday from two young women who met Watson in the lodge bar during the early hours of New Year's Day.

Amanda Susan Egden, who flew from Sydney to give evidence, said a man she later identified as Watson offered them free Prozac T-shirts if they would sail with him to Tonga.

She told the man she would pull the ropes, but he said she would also have to perform sexual favours.

Camilla Louise Savill, who also now lives in Sydney, said she asked the man the name of his boat.

"He said, 'Anything you want it to be, sugar'."

Earlier in the day, Furneaux Lodge water taxi driver Donald Clifton Anderson continued his evidence.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Mike Antunovic, he was asked about a statement to the police in which he referred to a "double-masted sailing boat with a lot of gear on the back."

He was asked whether he had been suggesting that another ketch was in the inlet that night, other than the Alliance, a vessel ruled out of the inquiry.

Mr Antunovic: I want to put it to you, that it's possible that in addition to Alliance ... and the other ketches you told us about seeing, there may well have been another two-masted sailing boat.

Mr Anderson: I'm afraid I can't confirm that there was one there or not.

Prosecutor Paul Davison, QC, later sought clarification.

Mr Davison: Should the jury take from your evidence that ... there was another boat with a lot of gear on the back?

Mr Anderson: No, they should not.

The trial continues into its seventh week on Monday.