Malcolm Rewa's legal team has this afternoon to cement its case

The convicted rapist has taken the witness stand at the High Court at Auckland today to testify in his own defence at his third murder trial.

The 65-year-old was convicted in 1998 of Susan Burdett's rape - but two juries that year were unable to decide whether he was also responsible for her death.

NZ Herald reporter Sam Hurley is in court and says we're nearly at the end of the cross examination.

Next, the defence will decide if it wants to call any more witnesses.