The Norfolk ISLANDER “Your Community Newspaper for more than 40 Years” FOUNDED 1965 Successors to - The Norfolk Island Pioneer c. 1885 The Weekly News c 1932 : The Norfolk Island Monthly News c. 1933 The N.I. Times c. 1935 : Norfolk Island Weekly c. 1943 : N.I.N.E. c. 1949 : W.I.N. c. 1951 Norfolk News c. 1965 Volume 42, No. 50 SATURDAY, 8th DECEMBER 2007 Price $2.75 incl GST his conviction for the murder of Janelle Patton on Norfolk Island in 2002. The proceedings were relayed by video link to the Supreme Court in Norfolk Island, and considering the local interest that had been previously shown in the case, only 4 local residents were present to hear the interesting and far reaching arguments that were presented. A feature of the video link screen was that it showed not only the Federal Court in Sydney, but tucked away in the left hand corner was a picture of the local courthouse and all who were present. The Judges could see this in Sydney and at the end of day one (Tuesday, 4th December), Chief Justice Black made the comment “that there did not seem to be much interest in the Federal Court of Australia Island and he wondered if the Administration would New South Wales Registry continue with the video link”. Law Courts Building, Queen’s Square, Sydney Fortunately they did. Chief Justice Black, Justice Lander, Readers will recall that McNeill, 29, was jailed in Justice Besanko - July 2007 for 20 years for the brutal slaying of Ms Glenn Peter Charles McNeill v. The Queen. Patton, whose battered body was found wrapped in On Tuesday morning, 4th December 2007, New black plastic at the Cockpit Reserve on Easter Sunday, Zealand-born Glenn McNeill began an appeal against March 31st, 2002. (continued overleaf) They’ve reached another milestone As the school year for 2007 draws quickly to a close, it is Formal time at NICS. Our picture, taken down at Kingston on Friday afternoon, shows the pupils of Year 10 prior to their very successful Formal which was held at “The Bounty Lodge”. There’s every reason to dine at ... PH 24400 QUEEN ELIZABETH AVENUE ~ Federal Court of Australia - continued McNeill had said in his confession that he had been She had suffered 64 injuries, including a broken driving and had bent down to pick up some cigarettes pelvis, ribs, a fractured skull and scores of slash and and hit someone. But evidence was available that stab wounds which were inflicted with a fish knife. McNeill could not have hit anyone with his car. The first day of the Appeal was mainly taken up with Mr. Garling SC, “we submitted to the jury, and the three judges being given maps and photographs we submit to this court, that when one examines a of the island and taken through the relevant sites by confession such as this, one is left with very real doubt McNeill’s lawyer, Peter Garling, Senior Counsel. whether this was an admission which reflects what The grounds of McNeill’s appeal was based occurred,” he said. partly on new evidence, but also on a challenge to “The law has a long experience in recognising that the admissibility of the confession which McNeill people confess to crimes they did not commit.” maintained had been complete rubbish, the product of He pointed out that the judges would know, from his mentally disturbed state. experience, that the overwhelming majority of people The new evidence mentioned above came from convicted of a violent crime of murder such as this, information pointing out that the book Norfolk, Island come from a background of some connection of one of Secrets, by Tim Latham, which dealt with the with the other. Whether it be family, relationships, murder, had been published in 2005 and distributed in neighbourly, business or legal. In this case there was New Zealand, where McNeill then lived. no suggestion of any connection. The book said the only other identified set of prints The underpinning of the case is that this was a random on the plastic had come from a carpenter who had been killing between two people who were completely working on building sites, where such plastic was unknown to each other and in circumstances where the used. One of those sites was near McNeill’s home in appellant (McNeill) was not said to be psychotic. In Little Cutter’s Corn. fact he was a person of good character in both Australia Mr. Garling said that in his confession, McNeill said and New Zealand and enquiries had disclosed that he had stabbed Janelle Patton to death and had picked there were no previous offences. up the black plastic “up the back of the building site”. McNeill also told police he had put her in the That had been presented by the prosecution, and boot and repeatedly stabbed her with a fish knife and backed up by the judge, as critical, because it was then wrapped her body in black plastic. However, a knowledge only the murderer would have had. It was pathologist said that four separate instruments had been probably the view of the jury. But it was, in fact, “in used to attack Ms. Patton. He only referred to ‘a knife’ the public domain” (by virtue of the contents of the and his answers showed no knowledge whatsoever book Norfolk, an Island of Secrets). of the mix of weapons and did not reflect knowledge Mr. Garling said there had been a rumour that which the killer would have had. Janelle Patton had been the victim of a hit-run accident. (continued overleaf) Four Day Weather Forecast for Norfolk Island Current Saturday 8th December SATURDAY: Shower or two. MONDAY Fine. SE winds 10/15 knots. Min: 17 Max: 22 Min: 18 Max: 24 SUNDAY Mostly fine. SE/NE winds 5/15 knots. TUESDAY Chance shower. SE wind 10/15 knots. Min: 18 Max: 23 Min: 18 Max: 24 Visitors to Norfolk! We have 6,500sq feet of shopping pleasure. PLACE Something for everyone Check us out! KidsKids CCutlery Set utlery Set Zwilling JA Henckels From GermanyGermany Absolutely Top Quality at Half Mainland Prices! Knives and Knife Sets • Scissors • Manicure Items • Cutlery Sets • Cooking Utensils • Pots and Pans • Knife Sharpeners Body Supports JUST ARRIVED! Knee • Wrist Ankle FREE!! Elbow • Calf Photo Knife Sharpening Thigh Frames Demonstration from only You can sharpen your own knives ������ properly... It’s easy, it works and $2.95 its not expensive! Under $10! CHEF’S CHOICE Lea ther Belts ................... Photo Coasters Cards and Giftwraps $7.95 Ceramic Nail Files ........$1.00 Body Reading Glasses ...........$6.95 A ............. German Pocket Knives $4.95 perfect ....$3.95 Boards L.E.D. Torch ..................... Scented Soaps $9.95 $21.95 ................$3.95 ���������������������� ���������������������������� Cork Boards �������� KITCHEN ESSENTIALS S immer Mats ................. Fishing Various $17.95 Bean Slicer ........................ ....................$2.95 Rods Sizes Mini Tongs ....................... Cookie Cutters $2.95 Reels ................. Vege Steamer $4.95 ........................ Whistling Kettle ............$9.95 �������������������� ..............$35.95 Plate Rack ....................... Email [email protected] • Ph (Int+6723) 22405$6.95 • Fax (Int+6723) 23098 RRodod HHireire P.O.P.O. BBoxo 213, Norfolk Island. x 213, Nor folk Island. ���������������������������������������������������������� Federal Court of Australia - continued Mr. Garling also said McNeill had confessed to the crime after police significantly overstated the forensic evidence against him. He told the bench that he had told the jury that this confession could not have been true and the thrust of what the accused said could not have been true. He accompanied that with a submission to the jury that they could not accept the matter as being beyond reasonable doubt “because” he said “we could point rationally that there was evidence, sufficient to implicate another person who was not the appellant”. FOR SALE On the last day of the hearing, Thursday, 6th December, Glenn GARAGE SALE - Combined garage sale - Sunday McNeill was in the 12noon start. Lovely plants for Christmas presents. Court when David Silky Oaks Stables Frearson, Senior Counsel for the Crown made his submission to the bench. As can be gathered from the above, he set out to justify the Crown’s case against McNeill. The bench questioned him extensively about the black plastic sheeting, the sunglasses which had been found in the vicinity and other points which had been raised by the defence. In the Crown’s submission to the bench, they played a recording of the interview which Detective Sergeant Bob Peters had with McNeill in February 2006. Mr. Garling made the following comment about the interview. “When one stands back and looks at the record of the interview, there is a clear impression that as the subject upon which the appellant is most Give your friend or loved one knowledgeable, and he engages in the most detailed discussion with the police, is the subject of the motor blissful ‘time out’ after a long vehicles - “no that wasn’t the one; “no I didn’t buy Festive Season. it, I was given it” - and so on. Of course that is a subject matter upon which the appellant would be, Gift Vouchers for a leaving aside the question of the murder, entirely well informed. 30 or 60 minute “We point to that fact to indicate that when he is Massage or Reiki dealing with other subject matters, he is entirely less knowledgeable and that, in our respective submission, with is support for the proposition that he was confessing to a crime that he did not commit and of which he had the Kathy LeCren sketchiest details”. are available now from The Court adjourned at 1.15 p.m.