Death of Sounds witness Adds twist
Family of man convicted for the murder of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart doubt Guy Wallace’s death or the sex charge against him will affect appeal. By
The family of Scott Watson, who was jailed for the murder of Olivia Hope and Ben Smart in 1998, do not believe the apparent suicide of the key witness or revelation he was facing sex charges will affect the appeal.
Witness Guy Wallace died in a suspected suicide on March 22, days before he was scheduled to stand trial charged with four counts of indecent assault on a girl aged under 16, between 2010 and 2013.
Scott Watson was convicted of killing Smart, 21, and Hope, 17, and was jailed for a minimum of 17 years.
He has always maintained his innocence, but remains behind bars, having been denied parole three times.
Watson’s father and sister both doubted the suicide or sex charges against Wallace would have much affect on his appeal.
Chris Watson said Wallace had said under oath multiple times, and in writing in court, that his son was not the mystery man who invited Hope and Smart on to his boat the night they disappeared.
Because the Court of Appeal didn’t call witnesses the charges would make little difference to the documents they would examine, Watson said.
No date has been set for the hearing, and Chris Watson thought it would now be reviewed next year.
Watson’s sister, Sandy Watson, got to know Wallace after her brother was jailed.
She also said the charges against Wallace were irrelevant to the Sounds mystery.
‘‘It was in a different century. So how can that be related in any way, shape or form?’’
Hope and Smart disappeared after a mystery man invited them to stay on his yacht in the Marlborough Sounds on New Year’s Day, 1998. Wallace, who ferried the three to the yacht on his water taxi, later identified Watson as the mystery man. His testimony formed a crucial part of the Crown’s case.
Wallace later recanted his identification, saying Watson had been wrongly convicted.
Mike Kalaugher, who spent years researching the Sounds murder case, and wrote the book The Marlborough Mystery, said Wallace had no opportunity to be involved with the young couple’s disappearance.
Wallace was a barman during the New Year’s celebrations at Furneaux Lodge, and then made several trips ferrying revellers back to their boats by water taxi in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
Kalaugher, who interviewed Wallace, said he was with other people virtually all the time that evening.
While Wallace initially gave inaccurate statements about the ferry trips he made, Kalaugher believes that was the result of
‘‘It was in a different century. So how can that be related in any way, shape or form?’’ Sandy Watson
genuine confusion, ‘‘rather than intentional deceit’’.
In his view, there was no connection between the Sounds case and the indecent assault charges Wallace was facing.
‘‘No, it doesn’t add up, mate. There’s a good reason they didn’t charge him. Actually, there’s a good reason they shouldn’t have charged Scott too.’’
Writer and documentarymaker Keith Hunter also met Wallace, and said the charges were irrelevant to his involvement in the Sounds case.
Hunter, who wrote Trial By Trickery about the case, agreed there was no window for Wallace to be involved in Hope and Smart’s disappearance.
‘‘He didn’t have time to do anything, at any time. Both before and after the event, he was with other people.’’
In Hunter’s view, Wallace was a young man caught up in a major event with enormous public interest, which he was illequipped to deal with.
‘‘Everything he said to me, I viewed as honest, and I still do.’’