Robert William Pickton's defence team attacked the testimony of one of the last major witnesses for the Crown on Tuesday, accusing the man of lying to a judge.

Andrew Bellwood told the jury on Tuesday that he would never lie while testifying.
(Canadian Press)

At Pickton's trial for the first-degree murder of six women, defence lawyer Adrian Brooks took Andrew Bellwood through statements he made to provincial court judges eight years ago, suggesting Bellwood lied.

Brooks referred to court documents from 1999, when Bellwood was facing theft charges, and suggested that at the time, Bellwood lied to the judge by saying he was employed when he wasn't, and he wasn't using drugs when he was.

"Well, was that a lie or is it a lie here to this judge? This one or this one? Which is it?" Brooks said.

In a feisty exchange, Bellwood said the court record of what he said was inaccurate, adding "if you're insinuating that I've been through this for the last 5.5 years to stand here today and lie … that's crazy."

'If you're insinuating that I've been through this for the last 5.5 years to stand here today and lie … that's crazy.'— Andrew Bellwood

"Well, let's see how crazy I am," Brooks responded, and then he went over Bellwood's criminal record, pointing to more inconsistencies.

Pickton, a Port Coquitlam pig farmer, faces a total of 26 first-degree murder charges involving women who went missing from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside starting in the 1980s. He is currently on trial in connection with the deaths of six of the women; he is to face the other 20 murder charges in another trial, for which no date has been set. The current trial started in January.

Bellwood told the court on Monday that Pickton showed him handcuffs, wire and a belt hidden under his mattress, which were allegedly used in killing the women.

Brooks challenged Bellwood's memory, in light of his history of drug use.

Witness says drugs haven't affected memory

Bellwood made no excuses for his cocaine addiction, but said his drug use has not affected his memory.

"One of the worst things about being an addict is you can't forget some of the worst things you've done in your life," he told the jury.

Brooks grabbed hold of that sentiment and ran with it as he began his cross-examination.

He asked Bellwood how many Narcotics Anonymous meetings he'd been to eight years ago, and how many times he'd seen his probation officer.

Bellwood often had to admit he couldn't remember, although he also said he would never lie while testifying.

He will face further cross-examination on Wednesday.