BUT HE DIDN’T KILL HER’

'He's arrogant, self-centered, obnoxious, rude & sexist

ACCUSED wife killer John Chardon is “arrogant, offensive, selfish and sexist” — but not a murderer. On the opening day of his trial over the alleged murder of wife Novy (inset), Chardon sat back in the dock and laughed as his barrister Tony Kimmins listed the Gold Coast businessman’s flaws. The court also was told the day after Novy went missing Chardon cleaned the carpets in her bedroom and propositioned another woman.

THE day after his wife Novy went missing, John Chardon cleaned the carpets in her bedroom and propositioned another woman, a court was told.

In an explosive first day of the trial into Novy’s alleged murder, the jury was also told:

• On the day Novy disappeared, John Chardon received a letter from her lawyer about a divorce settlement.

• A factory worker at Chardon’s business delivered a mystery box to Chardon’s daughter about two weeks after Novy was last seen.

• Novy told her family she was afraid of her husband due to a missing pistol.

• Friends of Novy said that both her and Chardon were having affairs.

Six years after Novy’s disappearance on February 6, 2013, Chardon yesterday pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Brisbane to her murder in Upper Coomera.

The jury was told the Gold Coast businessman propositioned Novy’s friend when she came to look for Novy on February 7, 2013.

He complained to the friend that the house was messy but made a point to show her the freshly cleaned carpets.

Crown prosecutor Mark Green said Novy’s disappearance was a “story with pages missing”.

“There is no evidence of finding her body or the way in which she was killed,” he said.

“That will be a matter for you to be satisfied of the story that you were told.”

The jury of seven men and seven women, including reserves, was told Novy was last seen on February 6 and, since that date, there was no records of her at hospitals, making phone calls, using her bank cards or accounts, registering with the tax office or electoral commission, or coming in contact with police.

Mr Green took the jury through the evidence which would be given to the court during the four-week trial.

He said Frederika Wong would give evidence that she had been to dinner with her friend Novy Chardon on the night of her alleged death.

He said Ms Wong would give evidence she visited the Chardon house the following day, after she was unable to contact Novy.

“She will tell you that (Chardon) complained about the house being messy and showed her Novy’s bedroom and showed her that he had cleaned the carpet,” Mr Green said.

The jury was told Ms Wong would give evidence the carpet was wet and a carpet runner usually in the room was missing.

It was then Chardon propositioned Ms Wong, Mr Green said.

It is alleged Chardon also hired a carpet cleaner the morning after Novy’s disappearance.

Mr Green told the jury they would hear from friends that the Chardons’ marriage had dissolved in 2012 but they remained living together.

He said friends would say Novy had been to see a solicitor about divorce proceedings.

The court was told on the day of her alleged murder that Chardon received a letter from his wife’s solicitor about property settlement.

Divorce negotiations had begun months before, it is alleged.

Mr Green said Novy’s car was also missing but found, with the help of members of the public, in Nerang on February 8 – two days after her alleged murder.

CCTV cameras captured the car being moved.

Mr Green said a factory worker from John Chardon’s business would give evidence about being told to deliver a box to Chardon’s adult daughter.

He said the worker would say they had been told gun parts and handcuffs were in the box, but they only saw something wrapped in plastic.

Mr Green said Chardon did not speak to police until February 22, 2013.

During that interview Chardon said on the night of her death that Novy Chardon had come home and said she was going out, he told the court.

Chardon told police he took a sleeping tablet and woke up to find things were gone, the court was told.

Chardon’s barrister Tony Kimmins told the jury his client “was not a murderer”.

The trial continues today.

(HE) COMPLAINED ABOUT THE HOUSE BEING MESSY AND SHOWED HER NOVY’S BEDROOM AND SHOWED HER THAT HE HAD CLEANED THE CARPET CROWN PROSECUTOR MARK GREEN