Last week the Supreme Court dismissed Clayton Weatherston's application for a final appeal. Weatherston is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years for the murder of University of Otago student Sophie Elliot.
Since his initial conviction, Weatherston has accumulated about $270,000 in legal-aid fees for the appeal proceedings. His latest application claimed a television interview by Law Commissioner deputy Warren Young regarding the provocation defence prejudiced his case. This was rejected by the Supreme Court on the basis that the proposed grounds raised no issue of general or public importance that justified it hearing the case.
The Elliot family welcomed the court’s decision. Weatherston was found guilty of murder in January 2008, after a trial where he controversially relied on the defence of provocation. The case provoked such an outcry that the law has since been altered to abolish the defence.
Weatherston’s final appeal dismissed
