Murder accused covered in blood: court

A man accused of murdering a woman whose body was found gagged and bound in the boot of a car told police he didn't remember killing her but did recall being covered in blood.

Colin Maxwell Farrow, 41, is accused of the stabbing murder of Linda Stevens, whose body was discovered by police in the boot of her abandoned car at Corrimal in Wollongong's north in April 2013.

She was wrapped in bedding, her hands were tied behind her with rope and she was gagged with gaffer tape.

He is pleading not guilty due to mental illness.

But in the opening day of his judge-alone trial on Wednesday, crown prosecutor Elizabeth Wilkins SC said elements of the killing pointed to an awareness of what he was doing.

Ms Stevens, the court heard, had regularly been selling the drug ice to Farrow.

On the morning of her death on April 11, Farrow was seen walking along a street in Wollongong towards Ms Stevens' home.

Then, about 2.22pm - this time in different clothes - he went to a hardware store and bought a pick and shovel.

About 20 minutes later, he was seen driving erratically before crashing into a ditch.

At this point, the crown says he abandoned his plan to bury her body and instead left the scene carrying a suitcase.

She said this failed plan to bury the body, as well as his change of clothes and apparent efforts to clean up the crime scene at her home, was consistent "with someone who does know that they did something wrong".

Days after his arrested, Farrow told police he did not remember killing his drug dealer but thought he must have done so.

"One thing he does remember of that day is seeing himself covered in blood," she said.

The trial continues.