Fatal attack'had been brewing for years'

BY MARC GREENHILL AND NZPA

A surprise guilty plea by the murderer of North Canterbury woman Jo-Anne Thompson has spared the family a lengthy trial, her father says.

In the Rangiora District Court yesterday, Ross Simon Fraser, 43, admitted beating his partner to death in their Waiau home on February 15.

The dispute that led to the 46-year-old woman's death "had been brewing for years", a police summary said.

Fraser entered the plea before Judge Colin Doherty at a session where it had been expected a preliminary hearing date would be set.

Don Page yesterday said his daughter's death had taken its toll on the family. "It won't leave us, but you move on," he said.

"Pleading guilty must make it more simple down the line."

The judge remanded Fraser in custody for sentencing in the High Court in Christchurch on July 9.

Fraser was arrested after nine days on the run in North Canterbury following the murder. He was caught when he returned to the couple's Parnassus St home on February 24.

Police said Fraser and Thompson had been in a de facto relationship for seven years. They had had an unsettled relationship, punctuated by verbal and physical abuse on both sides.

Thompson took out a protection order against Fraser in 2007, but the couple reconciled.

On February 9 this year, Fraser moved out of their home, and returned on February 15 to get his belongings.

That evening he was out drinking with a group of young people and they were using a punching bag.

Fraser had boxed as a schoolboy.

He then sat drinking at a table and said: "The devil's unleashing."

He added: "Don't tell anyone I said that because people will think it is strange."

Fraser was then asked to leave, and walked off carrying beer.

Thompson was drinking heavily at home and made her last phone call at 10.36pm.

The couple's two children, aged 4 and 6, were in bed.

There was an argument when Fraser turned up at the house.

A knife or sharp weapon was used to inflict a series of cuts on Thompson's right forearm and waist. There were also two cuts on her left leg above the knee and cuts on her left hand. The police described these as defensive wounds.

The attack continued in the bathroom, where Thompson appeared to have been thrown around the room and struck several times.

Her injuries included a broken nose, several skull fractures, a subdural haematoma to the brain, eight fractured ribs and knife wounds.

There was blood in her lower airway.

The cause of death was blunt-force trauma to the head.

Fraser left the house and spent nine days in hiding.

He told police he and Thompson had been in a rage and drinking.

He said the incident was a blur because he had blacked out.

He was ashamed and felt he had let down a lot of people, but he believed the home was his as well and he was too old to be shoved around.

The police summary said: "Pressed for details as to what he had done on the night, he was unable to elaborate, except to say it had been brewing for years."

- © Fairfax NZ News