‘Knife was used to kill man’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34147, 7 May 1976, Page 9

‘Knife was used to kill man ’

A 46-year-old man found dead in a Northcote Road house on April 1 was killed by repeated stabs from a! serrated kitchen knife, the Crown Prosecutor (Mr N. W. Williamson) said at the taking of depositions in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Mr F. G. Paterson, S.M., was hearing evidence brought against a 38-year-old woman charged with murdering Roy Barton, aged 46. of Christchurch. Mr N. W. Williamson and Mr J. J. Brandts-Giescn appear for the Crown and Mr S. G. Erber and P. J. R. Holderness for the accused. Nineteen persons gave evi-

dence for the Crown yester-1 day and seven more will be I called when the case con-1 tinues today. There will bei 15 exhibits. A neighbour of the accused said that about 11.301 p.m. on April 1 she had ■ heard screaming near her house.

“The accused came to myi door — she was very dis-1 tressed,” said witness. “I asked if she had been beaten, she said, ‘no-no. somebody’s murdered him’." The accused had told witness that she was sure her husband was dead as his hands were blue.

Witness had telephoned the police and then gone to the accused’s home where she found the deceased. Witness said that the accused was still very distressed and was crying, “Who would do it.”

Witness said she saw a basin and a white cloth near; the deceased: “The accused, told me she had been trying’ to clean up the blood." i Constable Michael Cron' i said that he undid the de-1 Iceased’s shirt buttons, find-1 ling four stab wounds about' I half an inch across. “I found! (further wounds lower on his chest,” witness said. ! The constable said that he I went to a bedroom and |found a man in bed: “He apipeared to be affected by alIcohol. He was wearing white (underclothes and there was ja bloodstain on the sheet."

Sergeant B. N. Thompson said that he spoke to the accused who said she was going to be “drawn into the web of the matter.” The accused had told witness that she and the deceased had had an argument. A taxi-driver. Keith Ed-

ward Black, said that he collected the accused and two ‘men from the Phoenix Tavern on .April 1 As they neared Sawyers Arm Road ithe accused had said: “Stop — there’s my husband.” 1 Witness said he did a j U-turn and met the man (back at the Phoenix Tavern. ; To Mr Williamson, witjness said that all three persons had been drinking. — (but none were drunk. I Jeffery Spence Wilson, a I freezer hand, said that he (was with the accused at the (Phoenix Tavern when an argument started. ! “She told one of the tnen

that she had influential friends in Papanui and that he might get a hiding." said Mr Wilson. Dr M. F. Fahey, the policr doctor, said in evidence that when he had examined the accused she appeared to be in a euphoric state.

He said he found a dark red and brown stain on the bottom of the accused's night-gown. The stain was surrounded by a water mark. ; “It was my opinion that the accused may have suffered a personality disorder 'due to alcoholism.” said Dr Fahey. Witness said the defendant (had bruising on her chest ■ and knees, and appeared ■ older than her stated age 'She was well orientated and (could walk a straight line despite the cla'm that she [had drunk six jugs of beer, he said. Dr L. L. Treadgold. a pathologist, said that he conducted a post-mortem examination on the deceased and found the cause of death to be multiple stab wounds. There were lacerations to he heart, lungs, liver, aorta and stomach.