Doctor feared for his career

A DUNEDIN doctor allegedly stabbed a teenage girl to death to protect his fragile medical career, the Crown says.

Venod Skantha (32) was on his final warning at Dunedin Hospital when the Crown says he murdered 16yearold AmberRose Rush in her Corstorphine home on February 2 last year.

Hospital bosses had originally decided to sack the defendant but gave him one more chance, after he explained his mother had recently died.

Crown prosecutor Richard Smith told the jury yesterday that had been a lie.

Through 2017 and early 2018, Skantha was supplying young people with drugs and alcohol at social gatherings.

His friendship with AmberRose soured after she accused him of indecently assaulting her.

Minutes before her death, she spoke to the defendant on Facebook Messenger, an exchange which became increasingly strained.

‘‘YOU’RE PREYING ON YOUNG KIDS VINNY, WHAT THE F * * * IS WRONG WITH YOU . . . YOU’RE 30 AND A DOCTOR FOR F * * * SAKES,’’ AmberRose wrote.

‘‘Imma make sure EVERYONE knows what a sick * * * * you are, including your work AND the police.’’

After she confirmed the threat was legitimate, Skantha allegedly contacted a 16yearold friend and organised to go to her home.

He had a ‘‘master plan’’, he said.

The Crown said the teenager then explained to the defendant where AmberRose’s bedroom was and that there was a spare key under an ornamental Buddha on the porch.

The marks in the dust on the vehicle’s dashboard used to map the scene were still visible when police examined it.

Skantha followed those directions, Mr Smith said, found the victim, muffled her cries with a pillow and stabbed her six times in the throat and neck.

One injury penetrated through to the bone and almost severed her ear, the court heard.

AmberRose’s phone was dumped in a pond at Blackhead, which Mr Smith said was consistent with Skantha trying to hide the incriminating messages.

The defendant and his teenage associate then allegedly went back to the man’s home where he instructed the boy to clean the silver BMW.

Mr Smith said police found blood, likely to be AmberRose’s, in the passenger side of the car.

More was found on the inside of a plastic bag in which the defendant allegedly put his clothes before burning them at his girlfriend’s home in Balclutha.

A pair of shoes at that address also had blood on them, the court heard.

Before dropping his teenage friend off at his home, Skantha allegedly threatened to kill him and three family members if he spoke of what happened.

Shortly after, however, he went to police.

AmberRose’s mother Lisa Ann Rush, who died of a suspected suicide last year, described seeing ‘‘a glimpse of red’’ when she went into the teen’s bedroom in the morning.

She suspected a nosebleed at first before discovering the tragedy.

‘‘Amber wasn’t moving at all. I was screaming.’’

❛ Amber wasn’t moving at all. I was

screaming