Alleged killer’s ’phone call

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 22

Alleged killer’s ’phone call

NZPA . Sydney A man charged with the murder-of a woman whose head was cut off and put in a hot oven had telephoned her de facto husband from jail because he considered him a friend, a Sydney Court has been told. The Public Defender (Mr Robert Mulley) told the Court the defendant had not been told that making telephone calls from jail to potential witnesses was not allowed. Appearing before Miss B. Schreiner. S.M., at the Glebe . Court was James Leighton Ferguson, 32, a carpenter, of Wentworthville. He is charged with the murder of Laurie Jean Callagher on August 6 at her Wentworthville home. The police prosecutor (Sergeant P. Mason) told the Court that Mrs Gallagher’s de facto husband, Gary Lydiard, had received a phone call from Ferguson and was “afraid of the defendant.” “It is feared that the defendant, if released on bail, would interfere with Crown witnesses,” Sergeant Mason said. Mr Mulley did not apply . for bail but Miss Schreiner asked that under the new bail act some reason be given for refusing bail. Sergeant Mason, opposing bail, alleged that after killing Mrs Callagher Fer-

guson then left the home with her daughter, aged 3, and was arrested an hour later in Northmead. “During the record of interview the defendant became violent and assaulted a police officer,”. Sergeant Mason said. Ferguson had boarded, at Mrs Callagher’s house, ySergeant Mason told the Court that a psychiatrist at Long Bay Jail had ex-' amined Ferguson and found him to be aware of the consequences of his action at the time of the offence. He said he expected to call 15 or 16 witnesses during the committal, hearing. ■ y.. ■ Miss Schreiner formally refused bail and adjourned the hearing to October 14 and 15.