NSW: Wood tried to use Richardson in alibi: court told

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2008
NSW: Wood tried to use Richardson in alibi: court told

The NSW supreme court's been told GORDON WOOD tried to implicate a former senator in
his alibi the day his girlfriend was killed .. and threatened a witness who contradicted
his account.

WOOD has denied murdering CAROLINE BYRNE .. whose body was found at the foot of The
Gap in June 1995.

The former chauffeur to prominent stockbroker RENE RIVKIN is accused of throwing the
24-year-old model from the cliff top.

Crown prosecutor MARK TEDESCHI QC today told the jury WOOD was terrified Ms BYRNE planned
to leave him and would reveal potentially damaging information about Mr RIVKIN'S business
dealings.

Mr TEDESCHI said WOOD made a number of claims about his whereabouts the day of the
murder .. telling police he'd driven Mr RIVKIN to a lunch appointment with then-senator
GRAHAM RICHARDSON before delivering the high-profile Labor figure to his office.

In fact .. Mr TEDESCHI said the senator would testify he was at lunch with another
man that day at Sydney's Hilton hotel.

The court was also told several months after Ms BYRNE'S death .. WOOD confronted the
owner of the restaurant where Mr RIVKIN had actually lunched on June 7 .. and threatened
him to keep quiet.

The jury will travel to The Gap for a viewing of the alleged crime scene this afternoon.

AAP RTV ajc/pbc/evt/bart

KEYWORD: WOOD (SYDNEY)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.