In closing submissions, he said the attack against Ms Ross was “unrelenting” and there was evidence that she had been struck at least once while on the ground. With at least 14 blows to her head and 32 defensive wounds to her hands and arms, the killer's intent was clear, Mr Bates said. “She became the focus of his anger about the work situation,” Mr Bates said. Colleagues gave evidence of that, as did the defendant's parents, and in a police interview two days after the attack Merritt told them he did not like Ms Ross, the jury was told. The Crown's case was based on circumstantial evidence, Mr Bates acknowledged, but he said that did not make it inherently weak.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 17, 2016 00:45 UTC