232:
Forensic pathologist Martin Sage performed the autopsy the next day, and found
Elliott died from blood loss. Two wounds pierced her heart and one lung, with other wounds to her neck and throat severing the main artery and the major vein. In total she received 216 separate injuries, mostly stab wounds
272:
with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years, saying she believed the killing was deliberate and controlled. The news media in
November 2009 revealed that the victim impact statement of Sophie Elliott's father had been censored at the request of the judge, preventing him from addressing some of the
313:
Three Court of Appeal judges reviewed the 2009 trial and verdict, and on 17 June 2011 denied the appeal on all seven grounds. They said that
Justice Potter had directed the jury sufficiently to ignore media coverage, and that the use of the photographs did not undermine the trial's fairness.
245:
At the end of a week-long depositions hearing during May 2008 in the
Dunedin High Court, Weatherston pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial by two justices of the peace. The trial moved to the Christchurch High Court for suppressed reasons, and was scheduled to start on 22 June 2009.
329:
On 6 October 2010, the Sophie
Elliott Foundation was launched. The aim of the foundation was to warn and educate young women of the signs of an abusive relationship. One of the trustees was Kristin Dunne-Powell, who suffered abuse at the hands of high-profile sports presenter
301:
Crown prosecutor
Cameron Mander opposed these arguments, pointing out that the jury had been directed to ignore media coverage of the case and that Young's attack on provocation could not be linked specifically to the Elliott murder. Elliott's parents and
33:
334:. The foundation's main aim was to raise money to fund a nationwide primary prevention programme and to support local community initiatives which aligned with the foundation. On 10 June 2011, Elliott's parents launched the book
353:
prevented her from continuing to run the foundation, and that she did not want another person controlling her daughter's image. As of 2021, the New
Zealand Police continue to run the Loves-Me-Not workshop in high schools.
197:
Elliott and
Weatherston had a romantic relationship which lasted around six months and ended before her death. In court, witnesses described the relationship as troubled. Weatherston had been an economics lecturer at the
257:. The knife used in the attack came from Weatherston's kitchen; the defence stated he carried it concealed all the time for self-defence. Two psychiatrists also appeared for the defence, stating he had
992:
229:
call from Lesley found
Weatherston locked in Sophie's bedroom. When asked what he had done, he told the officer "I killed her". He was then arrested and taken into custody.
1018:
298:
deputy president Warren Young unduly influenced the
Christchurch jury, and challenged the use of photographs of the wounds Weatherston inflicted on Elliott as exhibits.
1043:
221:
northeast of the city centre when Weatherston arrived unannounced, saying he had a farewell present. A short time later Lesley heard her daughter screaming. A
343:
1089:
346:
to develop a one-day workshop for Year 12 students named Loves-Me-Not, to educate students on healthy relationships and prevent abusive relationships.
185:, New Zealand. The crime and trial were covered extensively in the news media, and contributed to the government abolishing the partial defence of
506:
338:
to present her side of the story while warning young women of the dangers of domestic violence. In 2013, the foundation partnered up with the
1114:
741:
1109:
454:
966:
896:
258:
233:
from a knife blade, with some inflicted by scissors. Additionally there were seven blunt force injuries. The pathologist found some
403:
1104:
269:
226:
585:
288:
on seven grounds, including that Weatherston did not receive a fair trial due to widespread media coverage, with the magazine
1094:
202:, and also taught Elliott, who completed an honours degree in economics. On the day she died, she was packing to relocate to
281:
On 13 October 2009, Weatherston's lawyers filed an appeal, claiming there was a "lynch mob" mentality over his actions.
1084:
318:
847:
285:
214:
532:
821:
795:
295:
1124:
1119:
372:
303:
218:
941:
915:
869:
766:
714:
689:
637:
559:
480:
429:
350:
611:
264:
After a five-week trial the jury returned a verdict of guilty on 22 July, and on 15 September Justice
1079:
1074:
290:
207:
1099:
254:
199:
186:
89:
1019:"Sophie Elliott Foundation to close, Police to continue Lesley Elliott's work in preventing abuse"
339:
247:
222:
663:
250:
156:
284:
On 7 April 2011, Weatherston's lawyer Robert Lithgow QC appealed the 2009 verdict before the
978:
993:"Lesley Elliott closes Sophie Elliott Foundation 11 years after her daughter's murder"
1068:
307:
265:
234:
321:
to appeal the Court of Appeal's denial, but it rejected this on 13 September 2011.
32:
349:
In 2019, Elliott's mother Lesley Elliott closed the foundation, stating that her
331:
237:, and that the attack targeted aspects of beauty and was intended to disfigure.
336:
Sophie Elliott—A Mother's Story of Her Family's Loss and Their Quest For Change
203:
294:
attacking the provocation defence. Lithgow also argued that comments made by
213:
At around 12:30 pm on 9 January 2008, Sophie Elliott and her mother
182:
69:
177:(born 11 June 1985) was stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend
558:
Porteous, Debbie & Harvey, Sarah (11 January 2008).
404:"Sophie Elliott killing: Weatherston 'calm, collected'"
388:
Tomorrow would have been Miss Elliott's 26th birthday.
822:"Crown dismisses Weatherston's claim trial was unfair"
870:"Weatherston to stay in jail – final appeal rejected"
225:
officer, Constable John Cunningham, responding to a
163:
152:
144:
136:
114:
107:
95:
85:
77:
58:
39:
23:
715:"Censored: What Sophie's father Gil could not say"
586:"I killed her, Weatherston told officer at scene"
423:
421:
560:"Murder cuts short life of brilliant student"
8:
373:"Elliott book aims 'to set record straight'"
848:"Family thankful killer's appeal dismissed"
507:"Clayton Weatherston to be sentenced today"
796:"Weatherston not given fair trial: lawyer"
767:"Clayton Weatherston to appeal conviction"
638:"Narcissists – those infatuated with self"
273:claims Weatherston made during the trial.
104:
31:
20:
742:"Appeal by killer appalls Elliott family"
690:"Sophie's father says judge censored him"
217:were at the family home in the suburb of
790:
788:
455:"NZ tutor guilty of girlfriend's murder"
481:"Unanimous 'no' to provocation defence"
363:
662:Porteous, Debbie (15 September 2009).
398:
396:
206:the next day, and start a job at the
7:
916:"Sophie Elliott Foundation launched"
897:"Sophie Elliott Foundation launched"
740:Hartevelt, John (14 October 2009).
688:Patrick Gower (13 November 2009).
14:
1090:Deaths by stabbing in New Zealand
1017:O'Connell, Tim (31 August 2019).
895:Satherley, Dan (6 October 2010).
371:Gilchrist, Shane (10 June 2011).
259:narcissistic personality disorder
914:Harvey, Sarah (6 October 2010).
428:Hartevelt, John (22 July 2009).
317:Weatherston sought leave of the
81:Blood loss as result of stabbing
942:"Family's bid to honour Sophie"
940:Booker, Jarrod (11 June 2011).
612:"Sophie 'died from blood loss'"
584:Hartevelt, John (8 July 2009).
533:"Provocation defence abolished"
246:Weatherston was represented by
173:On 9 January 2008, 22-year-old
159:with 18 years non-parole period
16:2008 murder case in New Zealand
430:"Weatherston guilty of murder"
344:Ministry of Social Development
1:
610:Sinclair, Kay (7 July 2009).
636:Price, Mark (25 July 2009).
310:also criticised the appeal.
1115:2008 murders in New Zealand
850:. Stuff.co.nz. 17 June 2011
406:. stuff.co.nz. 24 June 2009
1141:
1110:New Zealand murder victims
253:, who argued a defence of
181:(born 9 January 1976), in
179:Clayton Robert Weatherston
140:University economics tutor
119:Clayton Robert Weatherston
975:Sophie Elliott Foundation
459:The Sydney Morning Herald
325:Sophie Elliott Foundation
304:Sensible Sentencing Trust
268:sentenced Weatherston to
30:
1105:2008 in New Zealand law
971:Relationship Education"
664:"Weatherston gets life"
946:The New Zealand Herald
874:The New Zealand Herald
771:The New Zealand Herald
719:The New Zealand Herald
694:The New Zealand Herald
642:The New Zealand Herald
564:The New Zealand Herald
537:The New Zealand Herald
485:The New Zealand Herald
99:Gil and Lesley Elliott
1095:Murder in New Zealand
208:New Zealand Treasury
189:in cases of murder.
1085:2008 in New Zealand
920:The Southland Times
876:. 13 September 2011
513:. 15 September 2009
351:Parkinson's disease
200:University of Otago
175:Sophie Kate Elliott
109:Clayton Weatherston
90:University of Otago
78:Cause of death
44:Sophie Kate Elliott
1048:New Zealand Police
981:on 5 January 2020.
721:. 13 November 2009
539:. 27 November 2009
340:New Zealand Police
248:Judith Ablett-Kerr
223:New Zealand Police
800:Otago Daily Times
773:. 13 October 2009
668:Otago Daily Times
616:Otago Daily Times
377:Otago Daily Times
270:life imprisonment
171:
170:
157:Life imprisonment
103:
102:
1132:
1125:2000s in Dunedin
1120:Crime in Dunedin
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1058:
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1034:
1033:
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1007:
1005:
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989:
983:
982:
977:. Archived from
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931:
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928:
926:
911:
905:
904:
892:
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549:
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518:
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497:
496:
494:
492:
487:. 19 August 2009
477:
471:
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451:
445:
444:
442:
440:
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416:
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413:
411:
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391:
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385:
383:
368:
235:defensive wounds
153:Criminal penalty
132:
128:
126:
105:
65:
53:
51:
35:
21:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1129:
1065:
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1052:
1050:
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1027:
1025:
1016:
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948:
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327:
286:Court of Appeal
279:
243:
195:
164:Criminal status
145:Criminal charge
130:
124:
122:
121:
120:
110:
86:Alma mater
73:
67:
63:
49:
47:
46:
45:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1138:
1136:
1128:
1127:
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1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1060:
1044:"Loves-Me-Not"
1035:
1009:
984:
958:
932:
906:
887:
861:
839:
828:. 6 April 2011
813:
802:. 7 April 2011
784:
758:
732:
706:
680:
654:
628:
602:
576:
550:
524:
498:
472:
461:. 22 July 2009
446:
417:
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362:
361:
359:
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326:
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296:Law Commission
278:
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242:
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194:
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169:
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129:9 January 1976
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83:
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75:
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68:
66:(aged 22)
62:9 January 2008
60:
56:
55:
43:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
25:Sophie Elliott
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1123:
1121:
1118:
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898:
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827:
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772:
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319:Supreme Court
315:
311:
309:
308:Garth McVicar
305:
299:
297:
293:
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287:
282:
276:
274:
271:
267:
266:Judith Potter
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135:
131:(age 48)
117:
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106:
98:
94:
91:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:, New Zealand
71:
61:
57:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1051:. Retrieved
1047:
1038:
1026:. Retrieved
1022:
1012:
1000:. Retrieved
996:
987:
979:the original
974:
969:Loves-Me-Not
968:
961:
949:. Retrieved
945:
935:
923:. Retrieved
919:
909:
900:
890:
880:14 September
878:. Retrieved
873:
864:
852:. Retrieved
842:
830:. Retrieved
825:
816:
804:. Retrieved
799:
775:. Retrieved
770:
761:
749:. Retrieved
745:
735:
723:. Retrieved
718:
709:
697:. Retrieved
693:
683:
671:. Retrieved
667:
657:
645:. Retrieved
641:
631:
619:. Retrieved
615:
605:
593:. Retrieved
589:
579:
567:. Retrieved
563:
553:
541:. Retrieved
536:
527:
515:. Retrieved
510:
501:
489:. Retrieved
484:
475:
463:. Retrieved
458:
449:
437:. Retrieved
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408:. Retrieved
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380:. Retrieved
376:
366:
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263:
244:
231:
219:Ravensbourne
212:
196:
178:
174:
172:
64:(2008-01-09)
54:11 June 1985
18:
1080:2008 deaths
1075:1985 births
1023:Stuff.co.nz
543:26 November
332:Tony Veitch
255:provocation
187:provocation
1100:Narcissism
1069:Categories
777:16 October
751:16 October
725:1 February
699:1 February
673:15 October
647:16 October
621:16 October
595:18 October
569:16 October
517:16 October
491:16 October
465:16 October
439:15 October
410:16 October
358:References
306:spokesman
204:Wellington
137:Occupation
125:1976-01-09
50:1985-06-11
901:3 News NZ
746:The Press
590:The Press
434:The Press
167:In prison
96:Parent(s)
925:28 March
832:25 April
826:One News
806:25 April
291:Listener
1053:21 July
1028:21 July
997:Newshub
951:18 June
854:18 June
382:10 June
183:Dunedin
70:Dunedin
1002:31 May
511:3 News
277:Appeal
215:Lesley
193:Murder
148:Murder
241:Trial
1055:2021
1030:2021
1004:2020
953:2011
927:2011
882:2011
856:2011
834:2011
808:2011
779:2009
753:2009
727:2010
701:2010
675:2009
649:2009
623:2009
597:2009
571:2009
545:2009
519:2009
493:2009
467:2009
441:2009
412:2009
384:2011
342:and
115:Born
59:Died
40:Born
227:111
1071::
1046:.
1021:.
995:.
973:.
944:.
918:.
899:.
872:.
824:.
798:.
787:^
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562:.
535:.
509:.
483:.
457:.
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420:^
395:^
386:.
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261:.
251:QC
210:.
127:)
1057:.
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1006:.
967:"
955:.
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123:(
52:)
48:(
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