Closing submissions begin in Supreme Court trial of alleged serial killer Steven Hainsworth

The trial of an alleged serial killer is wrapping up over the next two weeks, with the court hearing the alleged main motive for the murders.

The trial of an alleged serial killer is wrapping up over the next two weeks, with prosecution alleging the murders were committed to fuel a man’s drug habit.

Steven Leslie Hainsworth, 49, of Mildura in Victoria, is standing trial in the Supreme Court for the alleged murders of his next-door neighbour Phyllis Harrison, 71, in March 1998, his aunt Beverley Hanley, 64, in October 2010, and his associate Stephen Newton, 55.

He has pleaded not guilty.
Mrs Harrison, who was Mr Hainsworth’s next-door neighbour at the time, was fatally stabbed.

During closing submissions on Friday, Director of Public Prosecutions, Martin Hinton KC told the court there was “extremely strong support” that Mr Hainsworth was a match to DNA samples sourced from on and around Mrs Harrison’s body.

Mr Hinton said Mr Hainsworth’s alleged motive for killing her was he did not expect her to be there when he broke into her house to look for items to pawn.

When police found Mrs Harrison’s body, they discovered her handbag had been upturned and the lids of several jewellery tins had been removed.

“We know … that he was at that time a regular attender at the party house, he was a drug user,” Mr Hinton said.

“He would have needed money to fund that habit.”

Steven Hainsworth has denied all three murders. Picture: Jason Edwards

Steven Hainsworth arrives in Adelaide after being extradited from Melbourne in 2019.

The court heard Mr Hainsworth had allegedly made admissions to various people in the aftermath of the murders, including his former prison mate. Ms Hanley died from both blunt force trauma and incisions to her neck that cut her carotid artery and jugular.

A bloody cricket bat was found near her body, along with bloody footprints.
Mr Hinton said evidence key to Ms Hanley’s alleged murder arose from her distinctive light-up telephone, where Mr Hainsworth’s DNA profile was found on a disconnected plug and cord.

Phyllis Harrison.

Beverley Hanley. Photo: Supplied by family

Ms Hanley’s home had been ransacked and that, notably, her digital camera and three-ring set with missing stones were taken.

That camera was later recovered at a local pawn shop, having been pawned by one of Mr Hainsworth’s associates at his request, the court was previously told.
Mr Hinton told the court Mr Hainsworth’s motivation for allegedly murdering Ms Hanley was the same reasons as he had for being at Mrs Harrison’s home.

He said from 1998 to 2011, when Mr Newton was allegedly “punched to death”, Mr Hainsworth had not worked for any length of time.

“(He) had no real source of income other than Centrelink benefits, has supplemented that source of income from time to time by hocking property,” he said.

The trial, before Justice Adam Kimber and without a jury continues, with defence closing submissions next week.