The Cairns Post

Jealousy claim in stabbing

Anglers dump catch

- JANESSA EKERT janessa.ekert@news.com.au

A CAPE York woman allegedly stabbed her long-term partner in the neck in a fit of drunken jealousy.

Henrietta Virginia Bernard has pleaded not guilty to one count of wounding claiming her actions were in self-defence against an assault by her partner Charles George.

“This case is about alcohol and jealousy,” Crown prosecutor Eddie Coker told a Cairns District Court jury yesterday.

Ms Bernard had been with Mr George for 17 years.

The jury was told that on June 21 last year, the pair had been drinking and watching the State of Origin at the Kowanyama pub before heading home about 11pm where they started drinking cask wine.

Mr George told the court that he and the defendant had had an argument because she was jealous over an ex girlfriend.

The court was told that sometime later, Ms Bernard A FAR North council hopes fishers who discarded dozens of fish at the entrance to a known crocodile-inhabited waterway have learnt a lesson after an online backlash.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council posted a picture on its Facebook page of fish frames and fillets strewn over the Kurrimine Beach boat ramp.

A council spokeswoma­n said not only was it irresponsi­ble to leave fish on the water’s edge, potentiall­y attracting crocodiles, the nannygai were mostly undersized and it was a waste of good food. had been sitting on the couch speaking with another man when Mr George asked for a cigarette and as he reached over in her direction, he felt something enter his neck.

“Did you see Henrietta holding anything?” Mr Coker asked.

“No,” Mr George said. “Later on I felt something dripping down my neck.”

The court was told Mr George passed out and woke up at the hospital.

Defence barrister Peter Feeney questioned Mr George over a number of prior assaults by him against Ms Bernard.

“The reason you got angry with her is that you were drunk and she wouldn’t have sex with you,” Mr Feeney said.

“I suggest you got stabbed as you were going in to hit her a second time.”

The trial under Judge Dean Morzone continues today.

editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsP­ost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsP­ost

She said a council team had cleaned up the mess, though it was not their responsibi­lity.

“To those people who think it’s OK to fillet fish and leave the skeletons behind – it’s not OK,” the Facebook post read.

Facebook users shared the council’s anger. Many called for cameras or fines and complained the mess was a regular problem, despite nearby bins.

A Fisheries spokeswoma­n said “discarding of fish near … boat ramps can attract sharks and, in some parts of Queensland, crocodiles which can pose a public safety risk”.

 ??  ?? CROC MAGNET: Fish frames left at Kurrimine Beach boat ramp.
CROC MAGNET: Fish frames left at Kurrimine Beach boat ramp.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia