Witness changing answers, lawyer says

Peter Beckett accused of drowning his wife, Laura in Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke

A witness who took the stand in defence of the man accused of murdering his wife in 2010 was altering her answers in favour of the accused, Crown prosecutor Iain Currie argued Friday in a Kelowna court.

Peter Beckett is on trial for the murder of his wife, Laura, whom he is accused of drowning in Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke.

Dolores English, a former administrative assistant at Dapp Elementary in Alberta, where Laura was a teacher, testified in court on Friday, after defence counsel began its case.

Currie emphasized Beckett is a friend of English’s, and she believes it is a “tragedy” he is facing trial for murder. “That’s right,” said English. “You’ve been racking your brain, you’ve been thinking about ways in which to assist Mr. Beckett in this trial,” said Currie.

English agreed.

After his wife’s death, Beckett’s emotional state appeared quite frail, said English.

“He started drinking more than I’d seen him drink before. He appeared to be a lonely man.”

In 2007, the Becketts split up because Laura had had enough of Peter badmouthing her parents, the court heard.

When asked if Laura had to make compromises in order to be with Peter, English originally said no.

Currie then read a statement English had given to police in 2011, prior to Beckett’s arrest, when she said Laura told her she wished her husband would not talk about her problems with her parents to other people.

Beckett was an open book, while Laura preferred to keep her life private, said English.

After they got back together, Laura became estranged from her parents.

“She had to accept her parents were out of her life (and) she had to accept Mr. Beckett was going to continually badmouth her parents,” said Currie, to which English agreed.

Beckett was saddened the estrangement bothered Laura so much, said English.

Currie pointed out Laura was upset her husband kept telling people about the estrangement, yet Beckett did not appear to mind upsetting her. “Perhaps,” said English. “Your answers are drifting just a little bit,” said Currie. “Your answers are drifting from answers that are as truthful as you can be to answers that are as truthful as can be, but also with a view of assisting Mr. Beckett. Is that possible?” “Yes,” English responded. “In fact, in this particular instance, probably quite likely,” said Currie.

English had also told police Laura had told her she did not know how long she could continue living that way and she was going to have to make a decision.

“At that point she was looking at confronting (her parents),” said English.

Currie questioned her on where that statement came from.

“She said ‘I’m going to have to do something;’ she was trying to find the way to talk to them, how she was going to approach it,” said English.

“You’ve never said that before,” said Currie. “This is another example of your memory just changing a little bit in the direction of assisting Mr. Beckett.”

Beckett claims his wife fell off the back of their boat and he tried to save her but failed.

Crown argues Beckett, a former New Zealand city councillor, planned to murder his wife to cash in on a life insurance policy and get at her inheritance.

The trial continues.