Chch girls killed Sydney woman — Q.C.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33957, 25 September 1975, Page 2

Chch girls killed Sydney woman — Q.C.

(5 Z Press Assn—Copy right J . SYDNEY, Sept. 24. Two Christchurch girls, one pregnant, used a rifle to hold up and then murder a woman, shop assistant at a Kings Cross jewellers, a Crown prosecutor alleged today.

Mr R. W. Job. Q.C., the deputy senior Crown prosecutor, told a 12-man jury that the girls had agreed beforehand that if the shop assis-l tant "played up.” she would be shot. Appearing at Sydney central criminal court were Judith Anne Garrett, aged 17, and Carol Edna Paintin, aged 16. Both pleaded not guilty to a charge of having feloniously and maliciously murdered Edna May Parker, shop! assistant, on April 4, 1975, at .Potts Point. The trial opened today be-i fore Mr Justice Begg. In his opening address, Mr Job told the jury that the two girls arrived in Australia three months before the death of Mrs Parker. He said that on April l 1 this year, the two went to a gun shop in Sydney and bought a .22 calibre rifle. They had gone to buy a hand-gun. but when told they needed a licence for that, they bought a rifle, Mr Job said. Mr Job said that on April 2, 3. and 4 this year the girls were seen around the Kings Cross area, one carrying a guitar case of soft, black vinyl. On April 4, both girls were seen walking around Kings Cross and there was evidence they were looking for a i place to rob. "They went to a 'jeweller’s shop in Macleay (Street and saw it was occupied only by a female shop assistant. Mrs Parker.

“They went inside and of course in the guitar case was the .22 rifle they had bought earlier in the week. “Inside the shop the woman was held up. “The accused Garrett had the guitar case with the rifle inside and took the rifle out of the case.” Mr Job said that Mrs Parker was then shot in the back, but the rifle had actually been fired by Paintin.

“After she had fired the rifle and had thrown it to the floor, Garrett picked it up and hit Mrs Parker a severe blow to the head, causing a severe injury at the back of the head.” Mr Job said it was alleged the girls then took rings and the jewellery cases in the shop, put them in the guitar case, and went back to the unit they lived in at the Top iof the Cross Motel. After receiving information. the police went to the motel and found .the two accused there, just finishing dyeing their hair. The police found a-quantity of rings stolen from the shop. Mr Job said that Paintin was pregnant at the time,!' and it was this condition and' the type of clothes and high | heeled shoes they were wear- ' ing which attracted attention I by witnesses. When interviewed by the' police, the two accused gave false names and dates of i ; birth.

I Treasure for sale Treasure recovered from nine historic shipwrecks will; be sold by auction in the 'Cornish port of Penzance,; ' once used as a pirates’ lair. ■ Dealers and private collec-j i:tors from Britain and abroad' 11will be competing for more ■(than 1300 lots of treasure,! •coins, and works of art,; i which are expected to fetch ! about £30.000. —Penzance. [