Marice McGregor trial: Murder accused unable to account for thousands of dollars worth of payments

Murder accused Dean Mulligan made no entries into his business' cash book in the eighteen months he was involved with Marice McGregor and says he did not take money off her despite his business income doubling during that time.
Mulligan, 43, is on trial in the High Court at Wanganui for the murder of Ms McGregor, whose body was found on May 12, 2010, in a ravine at what is known as Whiskey Bend, off State Highway 4, 50km north of Wanganui.
The Crown alleges Ms McGregor was killed by three blows to the head with an iron bar, but the defence claims she was killed by another man and that forensic evidence does not point to Mulligan.
Mulligan initially told police, a friend, his pastor and a stranger that he had killed Ms McGregor, but has since pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Today, Crown prosecutor Lance Rowe finished his cross-examination of Mulligan, and the defence presented the last of their evidence.
Mr Rowe presented Mulligan's Legless Computers cash book as evidence, showing that during the period of 18 months where more than $20,000 was deposited into his account, his cash book read no sales.
In the period before those 18 months, income from his business totalled less than $10,000.
During this time, Ms McGregor made $51,000 of withdrawals from her investment account and made cash deposits to Mulligan of about $25,000, giving reasons which included surgery and payments to his ex-wife - though earlier evidence showed it could not be established if all of this money was deposited by Ms McGregor into his account.
Mr Rowe said telephone and insurance expenses were recorded, so Mulligan was regularly visiting his cash book.
Mulligan said he had one job worth about $6000 during that time, and he missed out entering five or six sales. He denied he was getting the money from Ms McGregor.
More letters Mulligan had written to his wife while he was on remand in prison were also presented to the court.
In them, he told his wife he was threatened with a gun by one of the men he alleges was involved in Ms McGregor's death, and was threatened by Ms McGregor herself with a knife.
He said he did not make the internet searches relating to "hard hit to the back of the head", and did not call Ms McGregor from his home at 2:30 on the day she died.
Mr Rowe said the letters illustrated Mulligan's development of his story, and asked him if he elaborated to make his wife, who had already left him, come back to him.
Mulligan denied this.
Mr Rowe established that Mulligan believed he was to inherit Ms McGregor's home and assets on her death, as told to his brother and police, and that he felt she had intruded on his life in Feilding by calling his pastor and telling him about their relationship.
However, Mulligan maintained that he did not kill Ms McGregor.
In the last of the defence evidence, the court heard written statements made by three men who had met Ms McGregor online and subsequently met her in person.
Two of the men gave evidence that they met her in public places around Wanganui for unprotected sex.
The court has adjourned for the day.