Lloyd Rayney Murder trial witness threatened
Murder trial witness threatened
by: Paul Lampathakis
From: The Sunday Times
April 21, 2012 6:29PM
A THREAT made to a new witness in the Lloyd Rayney murder trial has put pressure on authorities to give an assurance to people who testify that they will be protected.
A Perth man told The Sunday Times that he was shocked to be subpoenaed this week to give evidence at the trial.
He feared he or his family would be harmed because he claimed he had previously received an anonymous phone call warning Id better not talk about the case. He said the caller gave details about his family that few were aware of.
The man said he received information about the case in the course of his work and the source had his phone number. There is no suggestion that anyone associated with Mr Rayney made the threat.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which has responsibility for Mr Rayneys case, moved quickly to dispel safety concerns, saying: The office is aware of the issues raised by the witness and will endeavour to ensure the safety of all the witnesses in this matter.
WA Police also phoned the man on Friday night, soon after the concerns were raised with the DPP, saying that if he received any more threats to immediately contact them. They were also seeking a meeting with him this week about the issue.
The man, who will ask to have his name suppressed during the trial because of his concerns, said he told police about information related to the case that he had received shortly before Corryn Rayneys body was found in August 2007.
I just thought, This cant be true, so I didnt tell anyone, but then they found her body, and I couldnt sleep for three days, the man said.
I thought, I cant just sit on this information. I have to tell the police.
He took time off work soon after and went to a police station where he told officers about what he had heard.
I remember that they (police) basically said at the time that This shouldnt involve you at all, and that if they did need anything else they would contact me within a reasonable period of time, the witness said.
Then a few weeks later I got a call from someone on my mobile phone saying, You dont know me but I know you, and that Id better not talk to anyone about what Id been told.
I felt worried as they knew facts about my family that not many people were aware of.
Then this week, nearly five years later, I get a subpoena and Im told I have to appear in court as a witness.
And they gave the subpoena for me to my wife, when Im sure that should only have gone to me.
So its pretty shocking how she found out about it.
The witnesss concerns follow WA Supreme Court proceedings on Monday, when Mr Rayneys judge-alone trial was delayed by two months to July 16.
Mr Rayneys legal team had argued that the case, which is expected to run for up to five months, should be started three months after the original May 14 commencement date, for reasons including an endless debate about disclosure between the defence and prosecution.
Mrs Rayney, 44, who worked as a Supreme Court registrar, disappeared on August 7, 2007, after leaving a bootscooting class in Bentley. Her body was found in a bush grave in Kings Park on August 16, 2007.
Mr Rayney, who has always emphatically denied involvement in his wifes death, was charged with her wilful murder in December 2010.
DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE ABOVE ARTICLE?
I wonder what he has to say and WHEN he will appear.
