Following on from the notes I took in court today up until the 11.45am break-
Todd Fuller for the prosecution
Trials are about people, pressures and circumstances. It is not unknown for someone of good character to step outside that good character and do something unexpected. People under pressure react differently. It involves relationships pressures, mental health pressures and business pressures.
Has this man unlawfully killed his wife? With an intention to kill? You the jury make assessments of people in everyday life but you have been banned from having any relationship with any witnesses - you are restricted to what they say and how they say it.
GBC marriage was a façade. Allison battled to keep the marriage going for years while GBC was living a double life. A deceptive life slinking around with T McH and Michelle Hammond in front of his parents. That shows what he is capable of doing.
Different faces of GBC anguished husband. The building pressures on GBC which culminated in the death of his wife. Allison was coping with her pressures but it was the reverse for GBC. Pressures were brought to bear from his wife, T McH, and the business. Not sudden pressures but building pressures, business and relationship pressures.
Allison taking to relationship counsellor Carmel Ritchie about herself I am a wife and mother
GBC to relationship counsellor about himself I am the President of the Chamber of Commerce, I am on the school P & C committee, I am the principal of my Real Estate business
1) Killed wife
2) Unlawfully
3) With intent
Circumstantial evidence much maligned term less compelling but can be equally as compelling.
Accumulation of objective facts leads to a conclusion. Like looking at a TV screen up close lots of dots but step back and the picture becomes clearer.
Blood in Captiva 1 in 5600 billion chance it ISNT Allisons, but cant say for sure it is. All the family were tested and its not their DNA.
Look at the evidence through the eyes of GBC treatment for depression, keeping marriage together, male heir. Allison was initially disappointed because she thought GBC would be disappointed not to have a male heir.
Blood, leaves, scratches, extra marital affairs, business pressures.
Allison tells us in death lets look at where her body was found.
Body was dumped where it was found over 13 kilometres from home. Kholo Creek runs in the opposite direction to where she was found so for her body to have washed upstream she would have to walk even further. Allison was a reluctant exerciser and we heard the angst over the treadmill purchase. Would she walk over 13 kilometres? GBC told the police that Allison doesnt like walking up hills. Allison needs to be at the office at 8am to meet Kate Rankin. There was not a single sighting of Allison on that 13 kilometre walk to the bridge.
GBC drove Captiva as it was less suspicious to be in a dark Captiva than a white Prado with personalised number plates. GBC knew Kholo Creek area and needed somewhere nearby to dispose of body. There have been significant changes to the Kholo Creek bridge and surrounds since 2012. It is now a cleared area. It rained just 2 days before the body was found which made the area muddy.
Dont think about access to under the bridge today think back to 2012. GBC pulled car over to right hand side of road. The body was pushed off this ledge under the bridge (photos shown here of how the bridge looked in 2012 including photos of Allisons body lying in situ). The dent in the mud was still visible in May and even August to a lesser extent. There were no signs of disturbance around the body. Allison did not fall from the bridge. She was not suicidal. Dr Milne gave evidence that if Allison had fallen from the bridge she would have sustained a serious injury. Water level under the bridge did not reach the body (tidal charts given jury to look at in own time) at best, water may have lapped the body. If the body was shifted by water there would have been injuries on the body. The body was consistent with being in place shortly after death. There needed to be a force of water to drive the body onto the ledge under the bridge.
Decomposition affected the autopsy completely. But this trial is not about determining a cause of death. Diatoms were in bloom and plentiful in the creek at the time of Allisons death. Nothing was detected in Allisons liver or bones. No access to the lungs due to decomposition."