In a letter from prison, five days after he killed Sophie Elliott, Clayton Weatherston told a former girlfriend: "I am sorry that such a horrible person has been glorified in the media."
"That is our society," he wrote, following those words with a drawing of a sad face.
He then said, "It will blow over."
Weatherston also wrote in the letter to the former girlfriend how crucial it was for him to know he had her support and he apologised for "not seeing how great you truly are".
At the top of the first page was a picture of several cats, one of which was circled.
Beside it was printed "Is soph this fat?"The young woman, whose name is suppressed, told the court she and Weatherston had a cat when they were living together in Dunedin.
It was called Sophie.
But Weatherston told her he wanted its name changed from Sophie to his nickname for her (the witness).
She was continuing her evidence on the sixth day of Weatherston's trial for the murder of 22-year-old Miss Elliott, who was his girlfriend for several months during 2007.
The witness said the accused was very conscious of his physical appearance and very interested in clothes, as was she.
But she thought he outdid her in the amount he spent. And he looked in the mirror a lot.
He had worked out at a gym and at home.
He also liked to keep his public image extremely controlled.
Weatherston had returned to Dunedin after working in the Treasury because Otago was a special place for him.
He wanted to be nearer to his family, especially his mother.
He had a very close relationship with her and she was very kind to both of them, the young woman said.
She often came to their flat and did his washing, as well as housework for them.
The young woman agreed she was upset when Weatherston ended the relationship between them, but he also became upset after she accidentally sent him a text intended for another man with whom she had become friendly.
She said Weatherston thought she would "be special to him forever" and was upset she had moved on.
He asked her to come to his office and, when she got there, he was crying and very upset.
He told her his life was a bit of a mess and that he had messed up.
While she was there trying to calm him down, Sophie Elliott walked in.
It was an awkward situation for the young woman as both she and Weatherston were upset, the witness said.
But the accused suddenly "perked up".
He did not want to show he had been crying and was suddenly "quite normal and chatty".
He had "switched persona".
She said she thought Miss Elliott knew something had gone on.
Completion of her evidence had to be postponed until today so another young woman could give evidence by video-link from Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean.
The evidence was in French, through a translator.
The 23-year-old, whose identity was suppressed, said she was in Dunedin for a few weeks from late November 2007 until late January last year and became friendly with the accused.
She spent a few days in Auckland over Christmas 2007 and Weatherston met her at the airport when she returned.
He talked about Sophie Elliott, telling her it was "very complicated" between them, that the relationship was finished and he did not want to see Miss Elliott again.
He said he had a very strong feeling of hate towards her and wanted to get rid of her, but she kept chasing him.
When she said he "had to choose" between her and Miss Elliott, Weatherston told her he would break up with Miss Elliott the next day, because their relationship was "quite insane".
He described Miss Elliott as nice, attractive, intelligent, a little too serious, but brilliant.
But he said it did not work between them and they had lots of fights.
He said Miss Elliott was jealous and possessive and wanted to control his life, that she was sometimes manipulative.
She and the accused became sexually involved that day but their relationship ended on January 9 last year.
The woman said she had written to Weatherston in prison, telling him he was the best boyfriend she had ever had and that she was proud to be his girlfriend.
She told defence counsel Greg King she wrote that because she thought the accused was innocent. - Additional reporting NZPA
