\u00a0Warning: Contains graphic details<\/p>\n
A Dunedin man died as a result of the repeated “slashing or sawing” of his neck, a pathologist says.<\/p>\n
Gurjit Singh, 27, was found dead on the lawn of his Liberton home on January 29 last year, allegedly attacked late the previous night by his former boss, Rajinder, 35.<\/p>\n
Forensic pathologist Dr Andrew Gilkison told the High Court at Dunedin yesterday that the injuries to the victim\u2019s throat had the appearance of “an incomplete decapitation”.<\/p>\n
The defendant pleaded not guilty at the trial\u2019s outset on Monday and his counsel argued he had no reason to commit such a frenzied killing.<\/p>\n
Dr Gilkison conducted his autopsy of Mr Singh on January 31 and discovered such an array of injuries \u2014 46 stab wounds in all \u2014 he had to devise a numbering system to identify each one.<\/p>\n
The most significant was a 22cm-long “gaping” wound to the victim\u2019s neck which severed the carotid artery and the central airway.<\/p>\n
On closer inspection, Dr Gilkison found there were multiple injuries to the area caused by a “slashing or sawing” motion.<\/p>\n
The wound was so deep, there was evidence on the underlying spinal bone, he told the jury.<\/p>\n
The pathologist described the majority of injuries as being to Mr Singh\u2019s head and face including one stab wound which penetrated the jugular vein.<\/p>\n
The “sharp-force injuries” to the area came from multiple different directions and many left an imprint on the bone, he said.<\/p>\n
Alongside those were two stab wounds, up to 9cm deep, to the torso, which perforated the liver, spleen and kidney.<\/p>\n
The lack of glass fragments present meant it was unlikely to have been caused by smashing through a window.<\/p>\n
Dr Gilkison also remarked on the lack of internal bleeding found from the torso injuries.<\/p>\n
He said that suggested there was little remaining blood pressure when those wounds occurred.<\/p>\n
The court heard the autopsy also involved the pathologist taking samples of blood, urine, stomach contents and fingernails.<\/p>\n
Dr Gilkison told jurors he had discovered several long black hairs stuck to the hand of Mr Singh.<\/p>\n
Those were placed in a sealed bag and handed over to police for scientific testing.<\/p>\n
Crown prosecutor Robin Bates told the court in his opening that one of those hairs matched the DNA of Rajinder.<\/p>\n
He also foreshadowed further scientific evidence that identified the defendant\u2019s blood at the scene.<\/p>\n
When interviewed by police, Rajinder said that was “impossible”.<\/p>\n
A cut officers saw on his hand in the days after the incident was caused by removing a bike from his vehicle, while giving his wife a late-night driving lesson on the evening of Mr Singh\u2019s death, he said.<\/p>\n
Counsel Katy Barker told the jury in her opening that the allegation of murder against her client made little sense.<\/p>\n
The court heard Rajinder was in a strong financial position and had been happily married since January 2023.<\/p>\n
The trial, before Justice Rachel Dunningham, is expected to run for three weeks.<\/p>\n