Court Appearance For Van Murder Accused
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday December 31, 2002
AN apprentice mechanic accused of murdering a caravan park resident whose body lay in a cupboard for days has made a brief appearance in court.
Police arrested 22-year-old Michael Thomas O'Leary at a distant relative's home in Canberra on December 27.
The body of 60-year-old Maxwell Gordon Abbott was found in his caravan, which he shared with O'Leary, in Primbee on Christmas Day.
O'Leary, a fourth-year apprentice mechanic from Mt Warrigal near Wollongong, was extradited to NSW and was refused bail yesterday when he appeared at Parramatta District Court.
A court was told earlier the pair had fought on December 16 over money owed to the victim.
Prosecutor Senior Constable Dominic Goodyear told Canberra Magistrates' Court O'Leary allegedly bashed Mr Abbott, put him in a cupboard in the caravan and covered his body in clothes.
O'Leary is to appear at Wollongong on January 8.
© 2002 Illawarra Mercury