Alleged kidnapper and child killer Dieter Pfennig ‘doing crossword puzzles’ after heart attack that stalled Louise Bell murder trial

ALLEGED child killer Dieter Pfennig is conscious and “doing crossword puzzles” in hospital following his heart attack — and a judge wants to know how soon he can resume the Louise Bell murder trial.

screen grabs of Dieter Pfennig

THE man accused of murdering Louise Bell is conscious and “doing crossword puzzles” in his hospital bed following a heart attack, a court has heard.

Defence counsel, however, have questioned whether Dieter Pfennig is fit to stand trial after his ordeal — prompting a judge to request his cardiologist come to court and give evidence.

Pfennig, 67, suffered a heart attack in his Yatala Labour Prison cell last week and spent time recovering in a medically-induced coma.

The emergency threw his trial, over one of the state’s most enduring cold case mysteries, into doubt — but on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the case may be back on track.

Prosecutor Sandi McDonald, SC, said the prognosis from the Royal Adelaide Hospital was positive.

“As of Friday, Pfennig had further surgery ... he was sitting up doing crossword puzzles in hospital and was about to be moved into a ward (from the emergency department),” she said.

“Sometime in the next 24 hours, he will return to Yatala.”

Pfennig has pleaded not guilty to abducting Louise, 10, from her Hackham West home on January 4, 1983, and murdering her at some time before March 1 that year.

He is currently serving a life sentence for the 1989 murder of Michael Black, 10.

Neither child’s body has ever been recovered, and witnesses claim Pfennig has said they are buried together.

Pfennig’s trial, in the absence of a jury, started on September 20 last year and has run for almost 50 days over the past six months.

Louise Bell, left, and Michael Black, right.

He has challenged DNA evidence that, prosecutors claim, provides a one-in-one-billion link between him and Louise’s discarded pyjama top.

That challenge was the trial’s first major stumbling block, with Pfennig’s team claiming it needed a six-month adjournment and another $250,000 in legal aid funding to run it.

Those requests were denied, prompting changes in Pfennig’s representation — this month, he changed solicitors at the 11th hour in a bid to avert a mistrial.

Under state law, the trial can continue in his absence if he is deemed medically unfit and, were he to be found guilty, he would be detained in hospital instead of jail.

On Tuesday, Paul Charman, for Pfennig, said he knew no more about his client’s status than prosecutors did, and so the question of fitness had yet to be answered.

“We are arranging for my instructing solicitor to go see him in hospital this afternoon — clearly, we need to form a view as to whether he can provide us with instructions,” he said.

“Even if he doesn’t have cognitive issues, we need to know whether he will be fit to attend court and provide instructions.”

Mr Charman suggested obtaining medical reports, but Acting Justice Michael David said there was a quicker way for the court to be informed.

“A series of reports goes back and forth and could be messy — I’d like to call his cardiologist or specialist into court to give an opinion,” he said.

“After whatever the cardiologist tells us, it’s up to you to make whatever application you want to make.”

He adjourned the hearing until Wednesday, when the cardiologist will be called to give evidence.

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