Police fed lies in fatal probe
A NORLANE woman who told “falsities and outright lies” to police investigating the fatal stabbing of Waurn Ponds mum Raichele Galea was almost jailed yesterday.
Instead, Monique Stones, 21, was put on a community corrections order and advised by magistrate Ann McGarvie to follow her “conscience” when giving evidence to police in the future.
Stones was the girlfriend of Travis Wills on June 30 last year when police allege he murdered Ms Galea, 44, at a unit on Matthews Rd, Corio.
Ms McGarvie heard yesterday that Stones was present at the property along with Wills, his mother, aunt and cousin at the time of the stabbing.
“Scared and confused”, Stones was interviewed by police afterwards and told them a series of lies that impeded their investigation, leading to her pleading guilty to a count of perjury in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
“This offending is incredibly serious. There is a woman who has been killed and the police are trying to investigate … to be thwarted by someone giving false information makes their job that much more difficult,” Ms McGarvie said. “You need to develop your own conscience and follow that.
“You need to grow strong and make your own decisions. Most people who tell fibs or lies get caught out.”
While the case against Mr Wills is still before the courts, Ms McGarvie said the red herrings Stones fed police delayed justice and initially sent their investigation in the wrong direction. But she said it appeared the case was now on track, and “police believe Mr Wills carried out the murder”.
Defence lawyer Tim Sullivan conceded it was possible his client would be put behind bars for perjury.
“I’m grappling to try to keep her out of jail,” he said.
But Ms McGarvie said her early guilty plea had kept the woman from incarceration.
“You’re this far away from it (jail),” the magistrate said pinching her thumb and forefinger together.
Stones will be on a community corrections order for the next two years and must complete 120 hours of unpaid community work, including treatment for her “dependent personality”.