Accused asked about suspects

Police were tailing a Dunedin doctor when he went to a motel room to meet the mother of Amber-Rose Rush.

Venod Skantha denies killing the 16-year-old, found on her blood-soaked bed by her mother, Lisa-Ann Rush, on February 3 last year.

Lisa-Ann was visibly upset during a meeting at the motel, lamenting she ‘‘would never see her baby again’’, Detective Constable Amy Stewart told the High Court at Dunedin yesterday morning.

That meeting took place on a Sunday, one day after she discovered her daughter.

Those present included the accused, his former girlfriend, a teenager who is a key witness in the case, and Stewart, who was introduced to the trio as Lisa-Ann’s ‘‘friend’’.

Stewart, under cross-examination from Jonathan Eaton, QC, said she was unaware police had tailed the trio, who had returned from Balclutha.

But she knew Skantha was a ‘‘person of interest’’ to police.

Stewart’s role was to provide support and security for Lisa-Ann, and she knew the meeting was taking place.

When Skantha came into the unit, he wore black jandals, shorts, and a green army-coloured hoodie.

Skantha gave flowers and a card to Lisa-Ann, and told her ‘‘so sorry’’, before hugging her.

Stewart, introduced as Lisa-Ann’s friend, was also hugged. She told the court the accused sat near Lisa-Ann and asked her what happened to her daughter.

Lisa-Ann told him she found AmberRose, and there was blood and someone used a key to get inside the house.

Skantha asked her about the key and its whereabouts, said Stewart, who wrote notes after the meeting. That spare key had been found in the door, but Lisa-Ann did not disclose that information.

Skantha also questioned Lisa-Ann about possible other suspects including Amber-Rose’s stepfather, and a former boyfriend who once broke Amber-Rose’s

Lisa-Ann Rush Mother of the late Amber-Rose Rush

Venod Skantha

arm, asking if he was capable of that. LisaAnn replied: ‘‘Who is capable of that?’’

Stewart told Crown prosecutor Robin Bates that Skantha sat in a chair in front of Lisa-Ann, jiggling his legs repeatedly.

The accused told her he was angry. He asked if he could do anything, including offering to help her with a place to stay. Stewart recalled Skantha saying he had loved seeing Amber-Rose two months ago, and was in Balclutha with his former partner when he heard of her death.

Skantha told Lisa-Ann he had been texting Amber-Rose about his wallet, which the key witness retrieved from her days earlier.

Skantha, during the 20-minute meeting, did not appear upset at all, while his former partner, Brigid Clinton, and the teen witness, were quiet.

When Lisa-Ann showed the trio out, Skantha asked her if something happened to her daughter. Lisa-Ann replied that police would not tell her.

Stewart told Eaton that she did not write detailed notes on what the now star teenage witness said. She did not know he was coming to the meeting.

Stewart was asked about Lisa-Ann raising an allegation about Skantha and her daughter.

She recalled Lisa-Ann wanting to speak to Skantha about ‘‘something’’, but she could not record it.

The trial continues.

‘‘Who is capable of that?’’