A samurai swordsman has told jurors at his own trial, that voices told him to behead two women staying with him and then kill himself.
Antonie Dixon, 40, faces eight charges at the High Court in Auckland, including murder, kidnapping and wounding with intent to cause grievous harm. He began giving evidence on Monday morning.
Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler were seriously wounded with a samurai sword in 2003.
Another person, James Te Aute, was killed at a service station.
The accused told jurors that he had to save the women staying with him from themselves, and planned to put their heads in a laundry basket.
He testified that voices told him one of the women was going to have a child with him, but he always wanted to die because he hated his life.
He said he has seven children to various partners.
The accused testified about his Jehovah's Witness upbringing and his relationship with his mother.
He said he inherited a demon from his father and was repeatedly raped and sodomised as a child.
The defence plans to call two psychiatrists to give evidence as well as Ms Butler, who was one of those wounded.
