KEY POINTS:
Tony Brian Norman slept the night in a car outside the house where his partner was staying, before he broke in, took her away at knifepoint, and stabbed her to death, the Crown says.
The 21-year-old unemployed man is charged with murdering Ariana Gabrielle Burgess, unlawfully detaining her,
and breaking into the house where she was staying, while armed with a knife.
The depositions hearing began in Christchurch District Court today.
The Crown plans to call 30 witnesses for the murder trial but only eight witnesses will be called at the two-day depositions hearing.
Crown prosecutor Kerryn Beaton said Miss Burgess and her two children stayed at the house of a friend in Barbour Street, in the suburb of Phillipstown, the night before she was killed.
During the evening, Norman arrived but was refused entry. He returned home, armed himself with a knife, and went back.
"He ended up sleeping in the victim's vehicle outside the house," she said.
He broke into the house about 8.45am next day, held the knife to her throat, and demanded that she go with him in the vehicle.
Miss Burgess drove a short distance with her two-year-old and Norman in the car, but stopped in Osborne St where two council workers were planting flowers. She beeped the horn but Norman then stabbed her several times.
Lesley Ann MacAskill said she had known Miss Burgess for about a year. Miss Burgess had been staying at her house several days a week because she was concerned.
She told of seeing bruises on her earlier, and when she stayed on the last night, she saw bruises on her arms and a swollen finger.
Norman, the father of Miss Burgess' youngest child, arrived at the house during the night, demanded smokes, and yelled abuse at Miss Burgess, she said. He was not let in.
He was angry and agitated, called her a "nigger" and said she was "going to get it".
He was very paranoid about finding out who was inside the house with her, and accused Miss Burgess of having slept with someone. She told him it was "bullshit".
Norman twice threw the bicycle he had ridden at Miss Burgess' parked car. He biked off after the two women threatened to call the police.
Two men came to the house to talk, drink, listen to music during the night, and left about 3am. There was brief cuddle between Miss Burgess and one of the men outside the house as they said goodbye, Miss MacAskill said.
Norman came back and banged on the door about 5am and was again told to leave.
Miss MacAskill said she took the children to school next morning. When she returned, Miss Burgess and her youngest child and car were gone, unexpectedly. The police arrived an hour later to tell her what had happened to her friend.
The hearing is continuing before Margo McKay and Merelyn Redstone, Justices of the Peace.
- NZPA