Witness: Watson came home alone

By Eugene Bingham and Alison Horwood

WELLINGTON - Murder accused Scott Watson was alone when he returned to his yacht in the early hours of New Year's Day, a witness told the High Court at Wellington yesterday.

The skipper of a charter boat tied up next to Watson said he was woken by the sound of a water taxi approaching his yacht.

"Shortly afterward, Scott put his head down our companionway and wanted to know where the party was and why we weren't partying up still," said David Albert Mahony, who sailed a charter party on the yacht Mina Cornelia to Furneaux Lodge for the New Year's Eve celebrations in 1997.

In cross-examination, defence lawyer Mike Antunovic asked Mr Mahony if Watson had anyone with him when he returned.

Mr Antunovic: Would you agree with me that, from what you saw and from what you heard when the accused came back to his boat in the early hours of the morning, he appeared very definitely to be alone?

Mr Mahony: Yes.

Later, he agreed with crown prosecutor Paul Davison, QC, that he had not in fact looked at Watson when he popped his head into the Mina Cornelia, and that he had only heard him.

The Crown alleges Watson was dropped off at his yacht Blade in a water taxi with Olivia Hope and Ben Smart some time after 4 am.

During three hours in the witness box yesterday at the start of the double murder trial's fifth week, Mr Mahony told the court he saw Watson arrive at Endeavour Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds during the afternoon of December 31.

He knew Watson from Picton, where Mr Mahony worked for the Port of Marlborough as a carpenter and handyman.

Watson was directed to raft up to the Mina Cornelia.

Another yacht, Bianco, later rafted up on the other side of Mina Cornelia.

Watson socialised with the eight crew members on board Mr Mahony's craft before visiting another nearby yacht, Unicorn.

Mr Mahony said Watson returned and socialised with the Mina Cornelia crew after dinner.

Before they all went ashore about 10 pm, a photograph was taken of Mr Mahony, his crew and Watson.

Under questioning from Mr Antunovic, Mr Mahony agreed that Watson appeared clean shaven and tidily dressed in the photograph.

After dropping the crew and Watson at the lodge celebrations, Mr Mahony returned to his yacht.

About 12.20 am, his crew returned in a water taxi.

They stayed up socialising for several hours before all going to bed.

Mr Mahony said he was sleeping in the saloon with his head towards the open companionway which led up to the deck.

His sleep was disturbed by the sound of an approaching outboard motor and the slopping of water against the hull.

Soon afterwards, he heard Watson at the entrance asking where the party was.

One of the crew, Ernestus Rutte, told Watson to "F-off."

"[Watson] mumbled about no one wanting to party with him," said Mr Mahony.

"I just played possum."

Mr Mahony said he heard Watson walk across to Bianco, before returning to his own yacht.

During cross-examination, Mr Mahony was asked about his observations at that time.

Mr Antunovic: You did not hear any other voices during that period?

Mr Mahony: No.

Mr Antunovic: You did not hear a female voice saying thanks, or thanks for the ride?

Mr Mahony: No, I did not.

He agreed with Mr Antunovic that, judging by the sound of the outboard motor, the water taxi that dropped Watson off was there only long enough to drop one person off. But he then asked Justice Heron if he could say something.

"They are pretty efficient those water taxi chaps and they are always in a hurry ... they like to get people on and off pretty quickly, especially if they are busy."

A passenger on Mina Cornelia, Lawrence Charles McKay, said Watson was a "smart arse" and "trying to pick on people" when he came aboard.

"There was a lot of tension in the air," he said.

They saw Watson ashore several times but ignored him, he said.

Mr McKay said he woke up at 6.30 am on New Year's Day to go to the toilet, and noticed that Blade had already left.

Geoffrey Kenneth Hall described how in the late afternoon on New Year's Eve, Watson boarded Unicorn, the boat on which he was holidaying with his wife and two friends.

Watson gave advice to one of the passengers about the best way he could repaint his boat.

Telling them he was a boat builder, he said it should be dry docked, sanded and repainted. He did not mention plans to repaint Blade.

Watson also told the group that his boat was a ketch.

About 7 pm, the group left Watson behind on Unicorn and caught a water taxi ashore, said Mr Hall.

"It was time for us to get to shore and Scott Watson looked like he was settling in a bit."