Handless skeleton identified by court

Press, 22 October 1981, Page 2

Handless skeleton identified by court

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney

The handless skeleton of a man, found buried near Port Macquarie in New South Wales was formally identified yesterday as that of an Englishman, Harry Lewis. The skeleton, with a bullet hole in the skull, was found on March 15,1979. The hands were missing.

It has been alleged that Harry “Pommy” Lewis, who lived for a time in New Zealand, was the first murder victim of Terry Clarke and the “Mr Asia” drug ring. A Sydney inquest was opened yesterday into the death of Mr Lewis, but after the identification it was adjourned until after the findings of the Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking, which has been hearing evidence about the activities of the Clarke drug syndicate. The Coroner (Mr Nornian Walsh S.M.) said he was satisfied that the body was that of Mr Lewis, aged 39, who had died on or about May 23, 1978. The body - had later been moved to its grave near Port Macquarie, he said. He attributed the cause of death to a bullet wound in the head. Mr Lewis was also known as Stanley John Weinart, said Detective Sergeant John McGregor, of the police homicide squad.