Steven Hainsworth trial hears of family’s horror at finding beloved nanna Phyllis Harrison dead in her home

Family members of an accused serial killer’s first alleged victim have told a court of the horrific day they found her dead in her home.

The alleged first victim of accused serial killer Steven Leslie Hainsworth was found by her family, dead in her home, with her dress pulled up around her hips and without underwear, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, Julie Lane became emotional in the Supreme Court as she recounted the state of her mother’s body in March, 1998.

She said she and her husband, Patrick, had been called there by her sister, Dianne Smoker, and her son Luke, who had found Mrs Harrison’s body.

“I went in the back door, I saw Luke in the kitchen, and I went over to Dianne who was at Mum’s body,” she said.

“I knelt down straight away and felt for a pulse on Mum’s neck.”

Mrs Lane said there was no pulse, and that she did not touch her mother anywhere else on her body – but did touch her clothing.

“I pulled down her dress ... it was up around her hips, exposing mum’s pubic region,” she said.

Asked by Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton, KC, whether Mrs Harrison was wearing any underwear, Mrs Lane replied: “No.”

Steven Leslie Hainsworth has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Hainsworth, 49, of Mildura in Victoria, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mrs Harrison, his aunt Beverley Hanley, and associate Stephen Newton between 1998 and 2011.

Mrs Harrison was stabbed, Mrs Hanley suffered blunt force trauma, and Mr Newton was punched to death before items in his home were spray-painted green.

Prosecutors allege all three pensioners were alone in their homes and vulnerable when Mr Hainsworth killed them, and then stole their possessions to finance his illicit drug use.

On Wednesday, the court also heard evidence from Luke Smoker, who was the first person to enter Mrs Harrison’s house after the alleged murder.

He told the court he was 11 years old at the time and that, when the family visited Mrs Harrison, they would normally be greeted by her German shepherd, Heidi.

Witness Luke Smoker leaves the District Court after giving evidence in the murder trial of Steven Leslie Hainsworth. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Smoker said he ran into Mrs Harrison’s home to “pop the telly on” and “sit on the couch” – but never made it to her lounge room.

“As I went toward the lounge room, I caught a glimpse of Nanna’s feet on my left-hand side,” he said.

“My brain was like ‘that’s a strange spot for Nanna to be sleeping’ … I moved closer … then I saw the blood up near the head and I yelled out to Mum something along the lines of ‘Mum, Mum, come have a look at this’.

“Mum came in … then let out a bit of a shriek or an ‘oh no’ or something similar … she went over to touch Nanna to sort of stir her, then she got on the phone.”

Heidi, he said, was nearby – under the table in the dining room, from beneath which she “hadn’t really moved”.

Mr Smoker said he and his mother left Mrs Harrison’s home after discovering her body.

He waited for an ambulance while his mother went to a neighbour – who was a nurse – and Mrs Lane for help.

Mr Smoker said his mother had suffered a stroke in March of this year that had affected her ability to converse and multi-task, but not her long-term memory.

Police officers search the areas around Mrs Harrison’s home for the murder weapon in 1998.

Detectives at Mrs Harrison’s home in 1998.

In her evidence, Mrs Lane said Mrs Harrison had lived alone since the death of her husband in 1991.

She said her mother was an active person who “dressed smartly” and kept her home “neat and tidy”.

She said she enjoyed playing bowls, walking Heidi and line dancing, and was “heavily involved” in her church.

In cross-examination, Mrs Lane agreed Mrs Harrison had told her about “her neighbour Steven”.

She agreed Mrs Harrison said he had “come into” her back yard via their shared fence “a few times to collect a sports ball”.

Heidi the dog, she said, was “always kept” in the backyard.

Mrs Lane’s husband, Patrick, told the court he waited outside for the ambulance to arrive, then led emergency services workers inside.

He said he neither touched nor approached Mrs Harrison’s body.

“(An ambulance officer) said ‘we are going to have to call the police because something is wrong here’,” he said.

He said he recalled seeing Heidi the dog under the table.

“I don’t know why it didn’t come out, whether it was frightened or what,” he said.

The trial, before Justice Adam Kimber and without a jury, continues.