Another allegation emerges

A doctor accused of the murder of Dunedin teenager Amber-Rose Rush allegedly groped another woman and threatened to kill her if she exposed him.

Venod Skantha, 32, denies killing 16-year-old Amber-Rose, who was found on her blood-soaked bed on February 3 last year.

Lyndze Parrett, former friend of the accused and victim, said she was told the teenager had woken up at a party with Skantha’s hand down her pants, and with her top and bra removed.

The Crown alleges a threat to expose Skantha to his employer and police was his motive to kill.

Justice Gerald Nation told the jury of 10 men and two women to treat the allegation as hearsay.

Parrett said she met the pair through a mutual friend at Skantha’s home in late 2017. She recounted drinking alcohol at a weekend-long ‘‘get together’’, with Skantha supplying wine when her own ran out.

Parrett recalled meeting Amber-Rose in early January – just weeks before her death – and she asked the teen if she was still talking with Skantha. She said Amber-Rose replied: ‘‘F... no.’’

Parrett later asked Skantha about the sexual assault accusation, and he said he couldn’t remember anything about it.

The court also heard from another female witness, who had her name suppressed and gave evidence behind a screen.

The witness detailed several encounters with Skantha, which included being called a ‘‘s...’’ when she rejected his advances. She also recalled another gettogether at his former flat in St Kilda, when Skantha allegedly offered drugs. A woman later passed out after snorting the unidentified substance.

Later that night, while out in Dunedin, Skantha offered the witness a place to stay for the night.

She told the court she passed out fully clothed in his bed and woke up dressed only in her underwear. A woman was touching her shoulder, while Skantha was touching her breasts and genitals.

She said ‘‘what the f...’’. Skantha asked if the woman wanted a threesome, but she was so angry she kicked him, she said. She slept on the couch.

After confronting Skantha the next morning, he told her he ‘‘would kill her’’ if she told anyone. ‘‘I was just scared.’’

The court also heard Skantha turned up to work under the influence of alcohol and lied about his mother’s death to escape being sacked.

Skantha was first employed by the DHB on May 24, 2016. He initially worked in Invercargill, before being transferred to Dunedin Hospital on May 22, 2017.

Southern District Health Board chief medical officer Dr Nigel Millar said he was concerned about Skantha’s behaviour and an independent lawyer investigated. The investigation found Skantha went to a ward smelling of alcohol, flushed a patient’s IV and dated it incorrectly. In his draft finding, Millar recommended Skantha’s employment be terminated but amended his finding because of the loss of his mother.

At the start of Skantha’s trial, his mother was revealed to be alive.

The trial continues.