Robert William Pickton's writing contains grammatical mistakes and run-on sentences, but he received a B grade in an agricultural course completed in 2005, an expert witness in student assessment testified Thursday.

Gordon Cochrane told the B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster that it appears to be a respectable grade at first glance; however, the Grade 9 course Pickton finished through correspondence was designed for someone who is 14.

Robert William Pickton is on trial for the deaths of six women who went missing from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
(Jane Wolsak/Canadian Press)

Pickton, a Port Coquitlam pig farmer, is on trial for the deaths of six women who went missing between 1997 and 2001 — Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Wolfe, Marnie Frey and Georgina Papin.

The 57-year-old is to face a second trial later on an additional 20 counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In his second day of testimony, Cochrane also referred to a letter Pickton sent to the school last year to withdraw from another agriculture course.

The letter, which was read in court, contains spelling and grammatical errors as well as run-on sentences.

"I Robert W. Pickton is doing agriculture course 11 that I have received in here North Fraser pre-trial centre it is an excellent course and a very good science project but overall this course really can not be done in here for several reasons for there is no library to do any studying and also no internet to reach out which will all help to gather and bring up the correct answer to each of the questions and also the other activities that all lies ahead of me," the letter stated.

Despite the mistakes, Cochrane agreed with the prosecution that the letter makes sense and does communicate a message.

"I feel that I should let the jury decide whether that's acceptable writing for someone who's had 40 years of experience in agriculture and is taking a Grade 9 course," Cochrane said.

The defence said Thursday this evidence should counter some of the Crown's strongest evidence that came from statements made by Pickton to police after his arrest. 

The Crown has contended these statements amount to confessions, but the defence has repeatedly reminded jurors to keep in mind Pickton's intelligence when evaluating those statements.