Professor told Weatherston to stay clear of Elliott

Murder accused Clayton Weatherston was urged to keep away from Sophie Elliott after their relationship had become fractious and the pair were trading accusations, the High Court at Christchurch has heard.

Otago University economics professor Dorian Owen supervised Weatherston in 2007 when he began the relationship with Ms Elliott.

In the months that followed, he heard Weatherston complain that Ms Elliott was volatile, possessive and controlling.

"He was concerned about her temper and her outbursts."

Weatherston stabbed and cut Ms Elliott 216 times in her bedroom in her Dunedin family home on January 9 last year and admits he is guilty of manslaughter.

However, he says he was provoked by Ms Elliott and lost control.

Professor Owen said Weatherston approached him in July 2007 about the relationship because of the implications of their roles as tutor and student. Measures had to be put in place to ensure there were was no conflict of interest.

"My immediate reaction was that the relationship was not a good idea," Professor Owen said.

As the year wore on, the professor said, he learned that the relationship was deteriorating.

Weatherston would complain about Ms Elliott. The witness said he got the impression Weatherston wanted out.

There was an element of "he said, she said" from the pair.

Weatherston told him of an occasion where Ms Elliott had struck him and that he had been forced to restrain her during one "innocuous" incident.

Professor Owen said he understood from Weatherston that Ms Elliott had complained to her mother of an attempted rape, but Weatherston said this definitely did not happen.

Weatherston said Ms Elliott would exhibit "attention-seeking behaviour" to try to make him jealous.

When she went on holiday to Australia in November 2007, Weatherston seemed relieved to be free of her.

Ms Elliott was due to move to Wellington to start a job at the Treasury on January 10 last year and Professor Owen said he felt this would bring the relationship to an end.

He told Weatherston "it would be best if he would just leave her alone".

ON TRIAL

* Clayton Robert Weatherston, 33, is charged with the murder of Sophie Elliott, 22, in Dunedin on January 9 last year.
* Weatherston accepts he is guilty of manslaughter but denies the charge of murder.
* His "partial defence" is that he was provoked into the act of killing by the emotional pain he suffered and Ms Elliott attacking him with a pair of scissors.
* The trial will enter its 14th day on Monday, when Weatherston is expected to resume giving evidence.