17 May 2018

Man accused of killing dad begged forgiveness, court told

6:30 pm on 17 May 2018

A woman has told court she called police prior to her partner allegedly stabbing his father to death because the deceased was acting violently.

Entrance to the High Court in Auckland

A man has been accused of murdering his father and his sibling's interview with a specialist was being played in court today. Photo: justice.govt.nz

But during the call to emergency services her partner stabbed his father.

The Crown told the High Court in Auckland the man was guilty of murder but his lawyers said he acted in self-defence.

Today the court heard evidence from the partner of the accused. She and the rest of the family have name suppression.

She told Crown prosecutor Gareth Kayes she saw the deceased beat his partner's mother when living with them.

"Once he chucked a little. . . those little knives you use for fruit. . . he chucked that at her leg but it missed."

On another occasion he beat her badly.

"We heard a scuffle, she came out of the room and her face and eye were covered in blood."

The woman said the deceased threatened his children and used violence, causing her and the accused to move in with his sister.

On the night of the alleged murder, the deceased came over and accused one of his young children of stealing change from is car. The accused's sister stood up for the child.

"She told him to f**k off out of her house and that he was mad because their mum caught him cheating."

He left and sometime later, the deceased's partner came up the driveway pushing her baby in a pram.

"Her face was just covered in blood, her eye was, just, real messed up," the accused's partner told the court.

"We were just. . . kept begging her to go see a doctor and call the police or just go somewhere. She was refusing because she was scared that he'd find her."

The deceased then came back to the house but they locked him out. Angry, he went around the outside of the house yelling through the window before driving off with his daughter's car.

He again returned but this time the woman said she called the police.

"And it all happened so fast. All I heard was: 'Look what you done, Dad. Help, help us'."

She went outside and saw blood on the deck.

"Everyone was running haywire, holding towels, trying to put it on him."

The accused held his father, who was asking for water, trying to stop the bleeding, saying sorry. His father replied it was ok.

The trial continues.