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Convicted fraudster Peter Foster. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled
Convicted fraudster Peter Foster. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

How conman Peter Foster convinced John Chardon to admit he killed Novy Chardon

PETER Foster used to make notes of family birthdays and NRL games in his diary.

That was before he met wife killer John Chardon.

But the notorious conman turned prison supergrass, who allegedly elicited a confession from the Gold Coast businessman, never gave evidence in Chardon’s trial about his notes of their conversations because a Supreme Court judge deemed him unreliable.

Novy Chardon killing: Inside the investigation which caught John Chardon

Novy Chardon killing: Inside the investigation which caught John Chardon

Novy Chardon trial: Peter Foster’s claims on John Chardon’s first wife

For the first time, Foster’s notebooks of covert conversations, in which his cellmate allegedly claimed he shot wife Novy Chardon and dumped her body in the Gold Coast Seaway, can now be published.

They were tendered at Chardon’s committal hearing and exclusively obtained by The Courier-Mail following Chardon’s manslaughter conviction.

In a series of notes made in 2015 after Foster went to police with his plan to share a cell with Chardon and get him to confess, the convicted conman begins with short notes from conversations with the convicted child-sex offender.

Between pages of cricket scores and times of horse races on the Glitter Strip, Foster writes a word here or there to jog his memory at a later date.

John Chardon.
John Chardon.
Peter Foster.
Peter Foster.

Foster was serving an 18-month sentenced for civil contempt when he first met Chardon in early 2015.

The Gold Coast millionaire was well into his six-year stint for raping a teenage girl at his home and the pair would walk the Wolston prison oval together.

“Cell could be bugged. Psychologist. Boat. Passport,” Foster wrote in neat cursive soon after meeting Chardon.

Later Foster begins to make observations of Chardon’s persona, repeatedly noting his “massive mood swings”.

“Muttering, talking to himself,” one note reads.

Foster made a list of Chardon’s bad traits: “When he lies/exaggerates he taps left foot fast and clears throat. When he tells the truth, taps right leg, slowly.”

He writes that Chardon tells him he thinks he has an IQ in the top “1 per cent in the world”.

“Thinks his business will one day be worth over a billion dollars – DELUSIONAL!” Foster wrote.

Finally, the note Foster had been waiting to pen comes after April Fool’s Day.

“He’s confessed, I have to see this through.”

An entry in Peter Foster's diary where he claims John Chardon confessed to killing Novy.
An entry in Peter Foster's diary where he claims John Chardon confessed to killing Novy.

He later notes that Chardon boasts how clever he is.

“He couldn’t believe anyone could be so smart as to not leave any forensic,” Foster scrawled.

In more detailed notes, Foster writes about first being moved into cell with Chardon and how he elicited the confession.

The first page is titled: “24 MARCH MOVED TO S7 – CELL 19.”

The next series of notes penned on April 1, 2015, mention “ammonia” and a .22 calibre handgun.

He goes on to say Chardon discusses his “sex conquests” and that in the four hours they spoke on the night he confessed, he never once suggested Novy could be alive.

“He said he killed her Wednesday evening,” Foster notes, saying Chardon told him about urine and vomit on the carpet where Novy was killed and having to hire a carpet cleaner.

“He was going to kill her at some time but the events of 6/2/13 and the letter he received from her lawyer telling him to get out of the house brought it to a head early.”

Foster’s notes were remarkably detailed.
Foster’s notes were remarkably detailed.

The night Foster claims Chardon told him he killed his wife, he had bought lollies and the pair were watching their second episode of the M*A*S*H for the night when the Gold Coast businessman had the meltdown.

“He was emotional/crying about missing his son,” Foster said.

“Shot her in the head – said 22 bullet doesn’t exit head but rolls around in the head/skull like jelly.

“Said ‘alibi’ throughout.

“Neighbour reports hearing gunshot – he says that silencer makes this not possible.

“Explains in detail how to manufacture silencer using washers.

“Wants false passport for his two children and himself. Says no extradition treaty between Australia and the Philippines.”

Gold Coast millionaire jailed for 15 years for killing his wife

Foster writes that he asked Chardon what could be deduced from the fact he was the last person to see Novy alive.

“She’s dead – what else could you deduce,” the next note claims Chardon says.

Foster writes notes about how Chardon allegedly told him he had paid detective turned alleged fraudster Michael Featherstone $25,000 to “obtain statements from Novy’s family and friends to say that they had sighted Novy in Indonesia” and they would be his “get out of jail free card”.

Weeks after the alleged confession, Foster continued to make notes.

“(Chardon) said he hadn’t had time to find a location to bury her,” Foster writes, explaining Chardon told him he went to the Gold Coast Seaway but the tide was “wrong” and he thought he would be spotted, so he had to return home with Novy’s body.

He later returned threw her in when the tide was better, Foster claimed.

Foster claimed Chardon told him he had paid detective turned alleged fraudster Michael Featherstone $25,000 to “obtain statements from Novy’s family and friends to say that they had sighted Novy in Indonesia”.
Foster claimed Chardon told him he had paid detective turned alleged fraudster Michael Featherstone $25,000 to “obtain statements from Novy’s family and friends to say that they had sighted Novy in Indonesia”.

Foster later makes a note calling Chardon a “sick f***” after he claims Chardon said he threw Novy in the ocean and cut her stomach open so she would be “fish food”.

“He says he did dump her in Seaway – but I have a feeling he did bury her … I say that because of his tapping foot. Gut feeling only. Very much trying to convince me how smart he is,” Foster wrote.

“Had been thinking of killing Novy for two years. Knew he could … buy her off – tried – she saw through his $5 million offer.”

Chardon, 72, was on Wednesday sentenced to 15 years’ jail for killing Novy, 34, after being convicted by a jury of manslaughter and acquitted of murder.

He will not be eligible for parole unless he tells police where he left Novy’s body.

Foster’s notes were never seen by the jury.

Revealed: Chardon police interviews

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/how-conman-peter-foster-convinced-john-chardon-to-admit-he-killed-novy-chardon/news-story/1b5a26ff8cb7eeaa2abae5ca18fdc261