Scarsdale murder trial: week five wrap
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Disgraced former drug squad police detective.
- Was on remand with Wilson at the Melbourne Remand Centre last year.
- Wilson allegedly asked the former detective to murder to key witnesses.
- "He said that being an ex-detective that I would know about forensics," he told the jury.
- "I think he said something along the lines of 'you're a smart man, you can do it and get away with it'."
- He said Wilson knew he was a former detective and initially asked him various questions about his case including details about DNA and whether children could give evidence in court.
- Said Wilson asked him to read witness statements and asked if they were "damaging" to his case.
- "He asked if the witness was to go missing what would happen at court," the witness said.
- Told the jury Wilson allegedly asked him if he could kill a key witness, said Wilson wanted her shot and that he had two pistols that he wanted the witness to collect from Ballarat and use.
- "He said he had a .38 Smith and Wesson. He also said he had 9mm pistol with a magazine of 15."
- "I was to attend his parents' address in Ballarat and see his father Ray."
- Witness said Wilson gave him a note which he was to give Wilson's father. The note included hidden "clues" about the guns, and read: "Buy him nine cans of beer and 38 smokes." The nine beers allegedly referred to the 9mm pistol, while the 38 smokes alluded to the other gun.
- He said Wilson allegedly asked him to murder a second key witness, now promising $80,000 for both murders.
- Wilson allegedly proposed drowning one of the witnesses, knowing they couldn't swim.
- "He (Wilson) said that (the witness) couldn't swim and if I could meet him and then become friends with him and suggest - this was Darren's suggestion - that I invite him out on a boat to go fishing," the former detective said.
- "He said, because (the witness) can't swim it would be easier to throw him off and he'd sink, basically, and die."
- He said Wilson allegedly asked to then kill the other witness with a "hot shot" of heroin.
- "He um wanted it to appear she'd just died, um, hadn't been murdered," the former detective said.
- "He (Wilson) said he had never used heroin before, um but he said he had um heard of people being um killed in this way."
- The former detective told the jury how he used various methods to set Wilson up, adding he told his solicitor about Wilson's alleged plan.
- Investigators in Wilson's case were then notified.
Homicide Squad Detective Senior Constable Dustin Shepherd
- Informant in Wilson's case.
- The last witness.
- Told the jury he became involved in the case on January 5 last year, shortly after Timothy was allegedly killed.
- The jury was shown Wilson's original police interview in which he denies any involvement in the death of Timothy.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Andrew Tinney SC
- On Friday began closing the Crown's case against Wilson.
- Said "powerful" evidence showed Wilson was a violent man, guilty of murder.
- “Well, members of the jury, it’s scarcely believable that a fully grown adult male can see fit to pick up an axe, lift it up in the air, and slam the blade of the axe down forcefully on the head of a helpless, unconscious, 14-year-old autistic child,” Mr Tinney said in his closing address.
- “(It) defies belief that having done that and presumably having felt what it felt like, as the axe smashed into the skull of that child, having done that once, that a man could then see fit to repeat that action, time and time again.
- “... In the face of the powerful evidence led by the prosecution in this case, you will believe that a man could do precisely that, and you will have no doubt who the man was who did that. It’s the man in the dock.”
NB: The Crown will continue closing their case on Monday, followed by the defence closing address.
The trial, now in its sixth week, could finish by the end of the week.