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www.wangarattachronicle.com.au Phone (03) 5723 0100
Weekend Edition
FRIDAY, March 24, 2023
$1.50 INC. GSTT
Full results: 8 page lift-out inside
Homeless crisis in rural city deepens
Page 3
Preview to WDCA grand final
RIDING HIGH STUDENTS from St Bernard’s Primary School including (from left) Flynn McKenzie, Oscar Primmer, Mason Batt, Ivy Johnson and Ava Stafford, have been learning about cycling safely with help from RoadSafe North East as they geared up for National Ride2School Day which is celebrated across the country today. Story page 12 . PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
Sport
Fatal stabbing Murder trial begins: g p prosecutors allege g intent,, defence contends self-defence DEFENCE lawyer l Daniel D i l Sala has urged jurors to put the prejudice of drug activity out of their minds, following the fatal stabbing of a Wangaratta teenager during an attempted drug deal in 2021. Zachary Johnson, now 20, faced Wangaratta Supreme Court earlier this week, pleading not guilty to a charge of murdering fellow teenager Jaxen HendersonGillespie, who was fatally stabbed in the neck during an altercation
att Wangaratta’s Scoutt Park W tt ’ S P k on August 21. “You are going to hear that the reason these three people met up was for a drug deal,” Mr Sala told jurors. “It’s not particularly pleasant no doubt some of you have very strong views about what that kind of thing does to the community.” Providing his opening address on Wednesday, prosecutor Mark Gibson KC told jurors Mr Henderson-Gillespie and friend Brody Rouse had attended the
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park by ttravelling k around d 55.40pm 40 b lli along Vincent Road before meeting Mr Johnson, who himself had cut into the park through Smith Crescent. The court heard Mr Rouse and Mr Johnson had entered the meeting unsure of where they stood with each other, following an altercation three months previous, and that Mr Johnson had carried a knife with him at the time. He had earlier replied to a text from his sister asking whether the
pair by stating i were okay k b t ti ““yeah, h I think. IDK (I don’t know)”. Presenting a summary of the offending to the jury, Mr Gibson said Mr Rouse had attempted to walk away from the scene, when Mr Johnson pulled the knife and attacked the deceased. He said Mr Rouse had not seen the exact moment of the stabbing but had seen the knife when it was pulled out of Mr HendersonGillespie’s neck. Mr Rouse was alleged to have
the accused killed ttold ld th d ““you jjustt kill d my best mate”, before grabbing the knife’s blade to prevent it being used on him. A nearby off-duty police officer was said to have seen three people fighting, with at least one male throwing “extreme” punches. A number of nearby neighbours were said to have rendered first aid assistance at the scene, but paramedics were unable to revive Mr Henderson-Gillespie. ■ Continued page 2
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