Reading comments from Brian Edwards blog in 2010 I discovered this by Peter Entwisle
Peter Entwisle
July 9th, 2010 at 15:23
superCalo talks about Robin’s motives and says they “do not believe much of the hearsay evidence of the defence in regards this as its contridicted so many times by other hearsay and non-hearsay to make it worthless.”
He or she is not alone in thinking something like this but it is seriously confused and significantly mistaken.
The evidence in question of course is to do with Laniet’s allegations of incest with her father.
This was first presented by Dean Cottle at the first appeal. It was that she had said to him this had been happening and that she was going home that night to confront her father and family about it. Cottle’s claim about her allegation of incest with her father has since been corroborated by a number of other witnesses: two shop keepers, a school teacher, an acquaintance and some others. I forget just how many.
The confusion is thinking that this evidence is only hearsay. Regarding the alleged incest it is because none of the witnesses claimed to be first hand witnesses of that. They were only told about it by Laniet so it’s hearsay. However their evidence regarding her having made the allegations is not hearsay. They were direct witnesses of that. They heard her say it.
The mistake is thinking that any of this has been contradicted. None of it has. No evidence has been advanced at all that any of these witnesses were mistaken or lying when they said Laniet had made these allegations to them. So this evidence stands.
Its significance becomes apparent when you consider that whether or not her allegations were true they point at Robin and only Robin and do provide him with a motive.
Of course we don’t know that she actually did make them again that night to her father and some of her family. Cottle said that was her intention and another witness’s evidence appears to confirm that.
If she did accuse her father and with her mother, sister Arawa and brother Stephen present, how might he react? True or false they would be highly damaging to him personally. They would put him in danger of a prison sentence and terrible disgrace. If they were untrue he might well feel outraged and badly used by his daughter. If they were true he might well become a very frightened and angry man. If his wife, younger son and older daughter seemed to believe Laniet his hurt and anger might extend to them too.
They are extraordinary allegations and this is an extraordinary series of crimes. The allegations would provide a motive adequate to them.
For this reason it is important to be very clear about what is and is not hearsay in the evidence and to be absolutely clear that none of this has been contradicted or challenged in any significant way.
One does feel uneasy about hearsay evidence. I understand people’s concerns. But there is substantial and significant evidence here about Robin’s possible motive which is not hearsay and there is nothing at all to gainsay it.
.......................................................................................
Atheist or Cullen, does this make any difference to your theory of the crime?
Even Joe Karam furnishes less compelling material than this in Trial by Ambush. Margaret Bain also made a cash withdrawal late that night (check)
ETA it appears he has a reliable CV. I have heard of him before. I imagine he has an interest in correcting other false beliefs within the community.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Entwisle