Further Crown Evidence In Murder Charge

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31551, 13 December 1967, Page 10

Further Crown Evidence In Murder Charge

Gordon Cross, who Is charged with the murder of Margaret Lorraine Jesty, aged 21, in a Chester Street flat on October 26, asked him for protection if he killed “Maggie," Raymond Carl Phillips, a tyre-builder, said in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He said he told Cross to go away, and not be stupid. The hearing is before Mr P. L. Molineaux, S.M. Cross, aged 33, a tyrebuilder, is represented by Mr D. H„ Stringer, Mr C. M. Roper, with him Mr C. A. McVeigh, appears for the Crown. Fourteen witnesses gave their evidence for the Crown yesterday, bringing the total to 33 since the hearing began on Monday. Four more witnesses will be called today. Mr Phillips said he moved Into a flat at 14 Nova Place with the accused about April. They later moved to 918 Colombo Street The accused woke him about 10 a.m. on October 26. They had a cup of tea together, and a discussion. “Gordon said, “Would you protect me if I did something against the law?' I said it all depended on what it was. “He said, ‘Would you protect me if I killed Maggie?’ I said, ‘No, go away, and don't be stupid.’” Roger David Peter Tobin, a tyre-retreader, said in evidence he first met the accused in Australia two years and a half ago. He met Margaret Jesty about three months ago. She used to visit 14 Nova Place where he lived with the accused. Mr Roper: Was she a friend of anyone particularly there? The witness: Gordon (Cross), obviously. He was the one who was taking her out. “Bit Of An Argument" Trevor George Brokenshire, a freezing worker, said he attended a party in Hoani Street at the end of October or in early November. The accused and Miss Jesty were there, and they had a bit of an argument. The accused grabbed her by the collar, or a hunk <rf hair, and led fibr out. “She was the type of girl who liked to mix with everybody. He had the idea in his mind he brought her to the party and she should stay with him.” He saw Miss Jesty again a week later at a party at 14 Nova Place, said Mr Brokenshire. “She was a very happy-go-lucky sort of girl, the type of girl to keep the party going" Margaret Keenan, a factory worker, said she occupied a bedroom at 109 Chester Street up to October 26. About 12 o’clock on October 23 she was in the flat when the accused telephoned Miss Jesty. “I heard Gordon Cross tell Margaret she was quite free now. She told him she didn’t want any more to do with him, and that she didn’t love him.” The witness said she left for work at 7.55 a.m. on October 26. Margaret Jesty was the only person left in the flat She was wearing a shortie nightgown and had a tartan blanket wrapped round her. Shared Bed John Gordon Belcher, a tyre-builder, said he slept in the same bed as Margaret Jesty and Gidget O’Sullivan in

the Chester Street flat on the night of October 23. “I think the accused found out about it on the Tuesday night I saw him on the Wednesday. He was a lot quieter. He didn't say anything to me about it at all.”

Lynette Pauline O’Sullivan, a hospital ward maid, said she was also known as Gidget O’Sullivan. She said Cross and Miss Jesty went together for about two weeks, broke it off for a week, then went back together again.

“If other people took notice of Margaret he seemed jealous. He didn't say anything. It showed in his actions, in glaring at whoever danced with her. “He never took his eyes off them. He just stood there and bit his nails most Of the time.” Sold Knife Charles Angas said he was second in charge of W. T.Tisdall’s sporting goods shop in Cashel Street. During the morning of October 25 he sold a bowie knife to a man for $2.25. It was the longest blade in the shop. Mr Angas said he wrapped the knife in brown paper from an 18-in roll. He produced the balance of the roll as an exhibit. He identified a knife previously produced as being similar to the one he had sold. Adhesive tape on it was in the same position as that used for holding down the knife label. He identified a piece of creased brown paper as being similar in size to that he had used for wrapping the knife. Blood Samples Norman Patrick Alcorn, a Government analyst in the Chemistry Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, said he took blood samples from the bathroom of a flat at 109 Chester Street on October 26, and reconstructed a broken window from pieces of glass. Between October 27 and November 8 he received for examination from the police a leather jacket, gloves, denim jacket, shoes, nylon panties, nightgown, tartan rug, sheath knife, brown wrapping paper, clock, and ashes, charred cloth and other burnt material. He also received two samples of blood marked Cross and Jesty, both of which were of group A.

Blood smears found on the

clothing, rug and knife were of group A. Charred materials from the fireplace in the flat were of a type used in the manufacture of jeans.