Murder Charge: Eynon On Trial

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31223, 22 November 1966, Page 3

Murder Charge: Eynon On Trial

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 21

Three women are on the jury hearing a charge of murder against Robert Ernest Eynon; aged 21, a bagmaker, which began today before Mr Justice McGregor. It is alleged that Eynon murdered Dexter Norman Webb, aged 23, a journalist, at Wellington on September 25.

Webb died in a house in Brougham street shortly after being stabbed in the chest. Mr W. R. Birks, with him Mr J. H. C. Larsen, is prosecuting and Eynon is represented by Mr G. C. Kent, with him Mr B. M. Kerr.

Formal evidence—plans of the flat and photographs of its various rooms—was given by Robert Shand Finney, a registered surveyor, and a constable, Arthur Wilkins. An ambulance officer, Alan Sydney Edwards, told the Court that at 4.31 a.m. on Sunday, September 25. in answer to an urgent call, he went to 70 Brougham street. He was shown to a room where a body was lying on the floor.

A detective senior sergeant, William Galbraith, said that when he saw Webb’s body about 5.45 a.m., he noticed a stab wound in the chest and

an incised wound on the left shoulder. Galbraith said there had clearly been a party at the flat which was on the ground floor. Used glasses were still on the sink bench. The working parts and face of a Roamer watch were found near Webb's body. Examined by Mr Larsen, Galbraith said as the result of information given by Eynon the rest of the watch and a knife had been recovered. To Mr Kent, he agreed that if it had not been for the information from Eynon, there may have been difficulty in locating the articles.

Frederick Bernard Desmond, a pathologist, who examined Webb’s body said: “I found three wounds, one on the left side of the chest alongside the breast bone, a superficial cut on the left shoulder and a small contused wound on the back of the head.” He said he found about five pints of blood in the chest cavity. The lungs were collapsed and there was a cut in the aorta itself. Mr Kent: The loss of blood caused death?—Yes. The chances of such an injury as suffered by the deceased proving fatal are remote? —1 would not like to text them, but if a person aimed a blow in the general direction of the chest, it is a long shot that the stroke would cut the aorta. His Honour: But there are other vital organs in the chest? —certainly. The witness said Eynon was a muscular man of about six feet.

With the permission of the Court, Eynon was stood in front of the dock, for the witness to se‘e his height. The witness then agreed

that Eynon was much the smaller man.

Mr Kent: The odds of producing a fatal blow from the one struck like this are very great?—yes, it was a fluke result.

Maureen Agnes Newport said that on September 25 she was sharing the bottom flat at 70 Brougham street with other girls. On the night of September 24 there was a party

in the flat and Webb was one of the guests. Miss Newport said that in the early morning she had accompanied Webb to get his coat from a front bedroom, she led the way.

There were no lights on and she saw the shadow of a man near the wardrobe. She felt him touch her throat and she screamed for help. Webb, who jumped over her when she fell, struck Eynon and asked him who he was.

Miss Newport said she then went to another bedroom. She heard a thud in the room she had just left and shortly after she saw Webb in the passage. He had collapsed. It had all happened very suddenly.

Mr Kent: Webb struck the man with his fists?—Yes.

The hearing will be continued tomorrow.