Man Faces Murder Trial
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday May 29, 2003
AN apprentice mechanic stuffed an unconscious caravan park resident in a cupboard to scare him, it was alleged in Wollongong Local Court. Cabin owner Maxwell Gordon Abbott had argued with boarder Michael Thomas O'Leary over unpaid rent, a tendered police document said.
O'Leary was committed to stand trial yesterday in the NSW Supreme Court charged with the murder of Mr Abbott on December 15 or 16 last year.
The 23-year-old was not required to enter a plea.
O'Leary allegedly told police that he hit and choked Mr Abbott after the 60-year-old had thumped him in the nose.
He also said he had left Mr Abbott in the cupboard in his cabin in South Pacific Village, Windang, while he was still alive.
It had not been until the next day when O'Leary had checked on his welfare that he had realised Mr Abbott was dead.
The police document said Mr Abbott's body was found on Christmas Day, lying on its side in the bedroom cupboard with a number of clothes draped over it in what allegedly appeared like an effort to hide him. The court heard there was also a large pool of blood on the lounge room floor.
On December 17 police said that O'Leary had pawned a video cassette recorder at a Dapto pawn shop. It is further alleged that the recorder had been stolen from Mr Abbott's cabin after his death.
O'Leary had said Mr Abbott was constantly drinking and would become verbally aggressive when highly intoxicated.
He said Mr Abbott had become unconscious after he had punched him twice in the face and had placed his hands around his throat. He allegedly told police that he was just trying to scare him when he had dragged him into the cupboard.
He had attempted to clean up the blood on the lounge room floor and had then watched television for a few hours before going out. He said he returned at midnight and went to bed and did not check on Mr Abbott until the next morning.
O'Leary, formerly of Reddall Pde, Mt Warrigal will appear in the Supreme Court at a date yet to be fixed.
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury