Witness charged in killing appeal

INTRIGUE continues to envelop the murder appeal by convicted killer Susan NeillFraser after a second person attached to the case was charged with perverting justice.

Detectives have now charged two would-be witnesses who had intended giving what police allege is false evidence at the appeal.

Neill-Fraser, 62, has launched a last-ditch bid to overturn her conviction for the 2009 murder of partner Bob Chappell aboard a yacht in the River Derwent.

A 57-year-old man, due to appear as a witness in NeillFraser’s appeal, was arrested by detectives late last week.

He will be charged with perverting justice and is due to appear in court at a later date.

“Police will allege that the man provided false evidence in an application by Susan NeillFraser to appeal her 2010 conviction,” police said.

It comes after charges were laid against Karen Patricia Nancy Keefe, 41, last week.

Ms Keefe is facing charges of perverting justice, corrupting a witness and unlawful trafficking in firearms in relation to alleged offences between last November and this month.

Police allege Ms Keefe provided false evidence in the form of an affidavit including evidence relating to NeillFraser and Meaghan Elisabeth Vass.

Police allege Ms Keefe agreed to receive $3000, a $40,000 reward and a $50,000 education fund for herself and her children “in consideration for an understanding that Meaghan Vass be called as a witness, in a judicial proceeding, to provide false evidence”.

Last month, Channel Seven’s Sunday Night reported a new witness had come forward with details of private conversations with Ms Vass, the then-15-year-old homeless teenager whose DNA was found on the Four Winds.

Sunday Night revealed Ms Vass had also been called to testify at Neill-Fraser’s Supreme Court appeal hearing, but the TV program was unable to interview her for legal reasons.

Ms Vass had previously denied being on board the Four Winds and police have said the DNA sample was believed to be a secondary transfer.

New legislation has enabled Neill-Fraser to appeal her murder conviction which was upheld by Tasmania’s Court of Criminal Appeal.

The High Court previously declined to hear the matter.

Neill-Fraser has maintained her innocence of the crime.

A hearing for the appeal was set down for last month but had to be abandoned indefinitely after Neill-Fraser’s solicitor Barbara Etter left the defence team.

Her exit has never been explained.