Susan Neill-Fraser; Australia; On-going appeal: Bulletin: ABC News reports: "Key defence witness tells court he is willing to lie for her." Reporter Aneeta Bhole. October 30, 2017..."Today, Stephen John Gleeson, who has been in Risdon Prison for about three years, offered a different account of events to what he told police at the time of Mr Chappell's disappearance, telling the court he had lied to police during a number of interviews. In January 2009, Gleeson was living in a car parked at the Sandy Bay rowing sheds. He said he knew Neill-Fraser and Mr Chappell because he would help them get their dinghy out of the water. When questioned by police the day after Mr Chappell vanished, Gleeson said he had not seen anyone. But today he told the court two young homeless people had come to his car on the night of January 26 — he named Adam Yaxley and described a girl he thought was under the age of 18. "They were talking about knocking stuff off from yachts," he said. "I thought that's what homeless young people do. I didn't think much of it at the time." Gleeson also told the court he knew a man named Paul Wroe, who had a boat moored at Sandy Bay and who he believed was a serial killer. He said in the weeks leading up to January 26, 2009, Mr Wroe was invited aboard Four Winds by Mr Chappell and Neill-Fraser. He said afterwards Mr Wroe expressed contempt towards Mr Chappell. "He called him a condescending old c*** and then said 'I'd like to rip his teeth out with old pliers'," he said. Gleeson said he did not see Mr Wroe on Australia Day night. The court heard Gleeson had picked out photos of Ms Vass and one of her male friends when he was visited in jail by lawyer Jeff Thompson a member of Neill Fraser's team. Under cross examination Gleeson admitted he would be prepared to lie to free Neill Fraser."

"A key defence witness in the appeal bid of convicted murderer Sue Neill-Fraser has told the Hobart Supreme Court he was prepared to lie for her. Neill-Fraser, 62, was jailed in 2010 for 23 years for murdering her partner, radiation physicist Bob Chappell, on board their yacht the Four Winds on Australia Day 2009. After seven years and multiple appeals, Neill-Fraser launched her last-ditch legal bid for freedom today. She must convince Justice Michael Brett that there is fresh and compelling evidence to warrant a retrial. Today, Stephen John Gleeson, who has been in Risdon Prison for about three years, offered a different account of events to what he told police at the time of Mr Chappell's disappearance, telling the court he had lied to police during a number of interviews. In January 2009, Gleeson was living in a car parked at the Sandy Bay rowing sheds. He said he knew Neill-Fraser and Mr Chappell because he would help them get their dinghy out of the water. When questioned by police the day after Mr Chappell vanished, Gleeson said he had not seen anyone. But today he told the court two young homeless people had come to his car on the night of January 26 — he named Adam Yaxley and described a girl he thought was under the age of 18. "They were talking about knocking stuff off from yachts," he said. "I thought that's what homeless young people do. I didn't think much of it at the time." Gleeson also told the court he knew a man named Paul Wroe, who had a boat moored at Sandy Bay and who he believed was a serial killer. He said in the weeks leading up to January 26, 2009, Mr Wroe was invited aboard Four Winds by Mr Chappell and Neill-Fraser. He said afterwards Mr Wroe expressed contempt towards Mr Chappell. "He called him a condescending old c*** and then said 'I'd like to rip his teeth out with old pliers'," he said. Gleeson said he did not see Mr Wroe on Australia Day night. The court heard Gleeson had picked out photos of Ms Vass and one of her male friends when he was visited in jail by lawyer Jeff Thompson a member of Neill Fraser's team. Under cross examination Gleeson admitted he would be prepared to lie to free Neill Fraser. Coates: Well, didn't you say to Mr Thompson when he was asking you to identify some photos and you couldn't, didn't you say to him you would if it helps Susan Neill Fraser. Gleeson: That's correct Coates: So you'd be prepared to lie to help her out? Gleeson: Yes; Gleeson, who has been in prison for more than three years, told the court he did not receive many visitors, but between July 2016 and July 2017 he was visited 27 times by people connected to Neill-Fraser, including her former lawyer Barbra Etter. Witness says she was coerced into giving false statement. Earlier, the appeal bid's first witness, Meaghan Vass, said she was threatened into making a statement that cast doubt over Neill-Fraser's guilt. Ms Vass — who was a homeless teenager at the time of the murder — said a statement she made, that appeared to be helpful to Neill-Fraser's case, was false. In April this year, Ms Vass, 24, signed a statutory declaration saying she was on the boat co-owned by Neill-Fraser and Mr Chappell in 2009. Her statement said Neill-Fraser was not aboard the boat. Also, the court heard Ms Vass's statement read: "I was on the Four Winds yacht and I was with people."Today, she said the entire statement was made up and she signed it out of fear.".........No body or weapon have ever been found.

Neill-Fraser has always maintained her innocence and the case has attracted a high level of public interest, the story featuring as a documentary, a play and a book. One prominent lawyer has likened Neill-Fraser's plight to that of Lindy Chamberlain. Neill-Fraser has exhausted all regular avenues of appeal but has a final chance under new fresh and compelling evidence legislation."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-30/susan-neill-fraser-last-ditch-appeal-bob-chappell/9098224

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.