A former sex trade worker who spent a night with accused killer Robert William Pickton testified at his murder trial on Monday in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster that she was shocked when she heard of his arrest.

"Oh my God, I was at that place," the woman said, recounting what she thought when she heard of Pickton's arrest in 2002.

Pickton is facing 26 counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Six of the charges are being dealt with at the current trial. The other 20 charges are expected to be dealt with at a subsequent trial.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The witness, who cannot be named under a publication ban, told the court that she gave Pickton a back massage and slept beside him in her underwear and bra on a night in 2001, but they never had sex.

She said she met him through his friend Dinah Taylor, who was one of three people arrested in connection with the deaths, but never charged.

Taylor took her to a parked pickup truck in the Downtown Eastside and Pickton was inside it, the woman said.

The court was told Pickton gave Taylor and the woman money to spend on drugs. Taylor then left, but the woman said she returned to Pickton for more money to buy and use more drugs. When she returned, she was surprised to find him waiting for her.

"I couldn't believe it," she said. "I felt bad that he was still waiting."

She said they drove to his trailer in Port Coquitlam, where the woman saw women's belongings strewn all over, including hairspray, makeup, a bra and underwear.

She said Pickton took off his clothes, got into bed and invited her to join him, although he had specified earlier that they "didn't have to do anything."

He asked for a back massage, she testified, and asked her to take off her clothes. She said they went to sleep and nothing sexual happened. The next morning, she said he drove her back to the Downtown Eastside and gave her more money.

Pickton is on trial in connection with the deaths of Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Wolfe, Marnie Frey and Georgina Papin.

Clerk says he talked to woman before she disappeared

On Monday, the court heard from a former hotel desk clerk who testified about a brief conversation he had with Joesbury several weeks before she disappeared in 2001.

Chi-Sing Leung said Joesbury told him she was going to Coquitlam, near Port Coquitlam, because she had no money. The two had the conversation in Leung's office at the Roosevelt Hotel, in the Downtown Eastside.

Leung, who worked at the desk for more than 10 years, admitted under cross-examination by the defence that his memory of the conversation might be faulty.

Defence lawyer Richard Brooks pointed out that the discussion only lasted about 15 seconds and Leung had poor English skills at the time. Leung also has a poor memory, Brooks said.

"I suggest to you, sir, that you can't be at all sure of what Ms. Joesbury said to you during that conversation," Brooks said.

"Yes," Leung agreed.

With files from the Canadian Press