Nothing But Best Defence As A Calm Murder Suspect Flies In
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday May 4, 2006
GORDON WOOD has engaged one of Australia's top criminal lawyers to defend him against the charge that he killed his girlfriend Caroline Byrne by throwing her over The Gap 11 years ago.
After arriving from London in the custody of two NSW homicide detectives, Wood, 43, was last night expected to meet the barrister Winston Terracini, SC, at the Sydney Police Centre.Wood spent most of the journey on QF32 from London to Singapore watching movies. He got off in Singapore and looked calm and emotionless, chatting with police Paul Jacob and Paul Quigg while waiting to board for the last leg of his extradition flight.Moved into business class about 20 minutes before landing at Sydney, Wood was given a hot towel to refresh himself and was one of the first off the plane.Wood was expected to be formally charged with the murder of Ms Byrne, 24, on the night of June 7, 1995 and held overnight in cells.Wood will apply for bail in Central Local Court today. One condition offered by Mr Terracini will be that Wood will live with his mother, Brenda, at Marsfield.Mr Terracini's clients have included the murderer Arthur "Neddy" Smith, whom he successfully defended on six of seven murder charges. He will be pitched against Mark Tedeschi, NSW's senior prosecutor, who spent months checking the brief of evidence gathered by Strike Force Irondale, the result of 11 years of dogged police work.The prosecution will allege Wood hurled Ms Byrne over The Gap to her death. Wood was then chauffeur to the late millionaire stockbroker Rene Rivkin.Two witnesses have told police they saw Wood with Ms Byrne near The Gap on the afternoon of June 7 and a third witness has said he saw a man of similar appearance to Wood abusing Ms Byrne near The Gap that night. Ms Byrne's body was found 10 metres out from the cliff face and tests by physicists found it would not have been possible for her to jump that far.It is understood Wood will apply for legal aid. After his arrest on April 3 he told a London court he was innocent but was denied bail. Wood, who left Australia in 1998, agreed to return to face trial.
© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald