Husband to face trial for murder

Press, 16 December 1988, Page 34

Husband to face trial for murder

A young woman gave evidence in the District Court yesterday that as she was telephoning for an ambulance, for a woman who was lying injured in a bedroom, the woman’s husband tried to cut off the call.

She pushed him away. The evidence was given yesterday morning, to complete a preliminary hearing, lasting 2>/ 2 days. Paul Charles James Aldous, aged 34, an unemployed labourer, was charged with the murder of his wife, Carol Ann Aldous, in their house in Burke Street, Addington, in the early morning of October 15. Messrs J. B. Andersen and C. W. Crawford, Justices of the Peace, held there was sufficient evidence to commit Aldous for trial. They remanded him in custody pending a date for his trial in the High Court. Defence was reserved by Mr K. N. Hampton, who appeared with Mr I. G. Hunt for Aldous. Mr G. K. Panckhurst and Mr J. C. S. Sandston appeared for the Crown. Aldous was alleged to have fatally shot his wife, with a .22 calibre rifle, in a bedroom. Evidence was that she sustained a bullet wound to her head.

The final witness yesterday was the second of two young women who had been in the house at the time Mrs Aldous died.

She told of arguments she had heard the couple have, and of the couple, and others who called, drinking on the evening of October 14. The witness said that after she went to bed about midnight she heard the two arguing.

She then went back to sleep and was awakened by the other woman in her room, shaking her and telling her something.

She heard Mrs Aldous say, in a frightened voice: “I see you’ve got your gun out, have you?”

Aldous was heard to reply: “Yeah, I want to show you how it works.”

The witness heard something go “poof,” and something falling.

The witness went into the hall and saw Aldous standing at the bedroom doorway with a rifle. She asked where Mrs Aldous was, and was told she was in the toilet. She went to the kitchendining room, then the toilet, but could not see her.

She went back to Aldous and asked him again. He did not say anything, and looked surprised as she opened the door. She saw Mrs Aldous lying in the bedroom. Aldous grabbed her shoulders, holding her against a door. . She told him they needed an ambulance as they might be able to save Mrs Aldous.

Aldous said: “I hope you do,” and “kind of laughed about it.” She got away from him and telephoned the 111 emergency call for an ambulance.

As she was using the telephone, Aldous tried to cut off the call.

She pushed him away and swore at him. Aldous did not say anything. He seemed nervous. She was still speaking on the telephone when Aldous came out of the bedroom with the rifle, pointing it at her while he held it in one hand at hip level.

She stopped talking on the telephone, and, after about 10 seconds, Aldous went out the front door.

She continued making her call. The other woman who had been in her bedroom then returned to the house and they went out on the street to wait for , the ambulance. From the front door they saw Aldous with the rifle, and wandering around in circles as if he was lost. He did not seem to know where to go. The witness said the telephone then rang and she answered it. The call was from the police, who told her to leave the house and meet them outside. She and the other woman did this, and saw no further sign of Aldous.