Court hears evidence of arson admission

Press, 4 March 1989, Page 14

Court hears evidence of arson admission

The former de facto wife of a man accused of setting fire to a shop so that he could make an insurance claim admitted to a mutual friend “he did it,” the District Court heard yesterday. John Evelyn Limbrick, aged 30, and Karen SaintMerat, aged 21, are facing joint charges of insurance fraud and arson. A mutual friend of the couple, Ms Melisse Sherborne, gave evidence yesterday and on Thursday. On the afternoon of the

fire at the couple's business, Discount Sounds, Saint-Merat came to visit, said Ms Sherborne. “She was excitable and highly strung, and said she had been to the police station because the shop had burned down.” Ms Sherborne said she was stunned by news of the fire, and asked if Saint-Merat’s former de facto husband, Limbrick, was responsible. SaintMerat replied he was.

Limbrick had twice before tried to burn the

shop down by paying someone else to do it, but the attempts had been “mucked up,” Saint-Merat had said. This time “he did it himself.” Mr Tony Garrett, appearing for Limbrick, and Mr Doug Taffs, appearing for Saint-Merat, both asked Ms Sherborne if she was sure her memory of events was correct. She replied the day of the fire was also her daughter’s birthday and she rememberd clearly everything that happened.

Saint-Merat and Limbrick were committed for trial by Justices of the Peace, Messrs J. B. Andersen and A. L. Mclvor. A pre-trial conference will be held in the High Court on April 19. Saint-Merat and Limbrick were separated at the time of the fire, but maintained a business relationship. They ran Discount Sounds, on Stanmore Road, which was burnt out last October. They were remanded on bail.