The “Vampire” Murder on Trial

According to the Age, the evidence of a notorious Victorian prisoner that implicates four people in the murder of the male prostitute and self-confessed “vampire”, Shane Chartres-Abbott, will be evaluated by a jury. The key witness is a prisoner guilty of three murders- including having gunned down Chartres-Abbott- and is dismissed as Australia’s most unreliable Crown witness. The witness implicates two men charged with the murder of Chartres-Abbott, as well as two ex-policemen.

Chartres-Abbott was shot down in 2003, as he was leaving for the County Court, where he was on trial for the rape and mutilation of one of his female clients, called Penny.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court claimed that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to charge the ex-policemen. As regards the two other men, Evangelos Goussis and a co-accused, who cannot be identified, they will stand trial as Magistrate Peter Mealy found there was enough evidence of their implication.

Both men pleaded not guilty, with Goussis, the shooter’s alleged accomplice, declaring: ”I emphatically plead not guilty.”

The co-accused’s barrister, James McQuillan, submitted that his client should be discharged and claimed that the prosecution case is based primarily on the witness’ words. ”If ever there was an unreliable witness in this state or in this country it is [him],” he said.

Prosecutor Andrew Tinney, denied the case was based exclusively on the witness, submitting a jury could be satisfied Mark Perry – the fugitive former boyfriend of Penny – instigated the murder. Mark Perry, the co-accused and the witness had close contact in the days before and after the murder of Chartres-Abbott.

Mealy said that other circumstantial evidence may enforce the witness’ evidence, whose reliability is questioned. He concluded saying that the jury should determine the validity of the witness’ evidence. Both men were remanded to appear in the Supreme Court next month.