A man ordered to spend at least 15 years in jail for the murder of a Whanganui woman has gone to the Court of Appeal seeking a retrial.
Dean Mulligan's lawyer told the court on Wednesday that an affidavit filed by his client in October this year contains fresh evidence not presented at the trial in 2011.
Mulligan bludgeoned Marice McGregor to death in 2010 and confessed to the killing, but later denied responsibility.
His lawyer, Julian Hannam, said Mulligan's new affidavit sets out the complete truth about the nature of his relationship with Ms McGregor.
Mr Hannam said it was not fresh evidence as such, but a doctor's statement explains that after counselling Mulligan now feels he can safely reveal the truth about drug underworld involvement in Ms McGregor's death without fearing the consequences.
The Crown said police have already tried unsuccessfully to track down the men mentioned by Mulligan and his account of what happened was implausible.
The court has reserved its decision.
