Linda Britton manslaughter trial hears of events at Nambucca Heads
A night that started with a surprise birthday party ended in the tragic deaths of two young women. Here is what was said in court.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A report of a boy being chased at Nambucca Heads prompted a group of people to leave a birthday party and travel to a shopping centre which became the scene of a double fatality, a court has heard.
Chloe Gaskell took to the witness box on Tuesday at the jury trial of Linda Britton, 54, who is charged with manslaughter after two young women - including her daughter, Skye Luland - were pinned under a car on September 28, 2019.
Kazzandra Widders, 20, and Skye, 24, died at the scene. Ms Britton has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ms Gaskell , partner of Harold Widders, told Coffs Harbour District Court she had arranged a surprise birthday party for her husband on the day in question.
Crown barrister Ms Smith asked Ms Gaskell to rate to the court her level of intoxication at the party - on a scale of 1 being “sober” to 10 being “passed out”. The witness estimated “5”.
Ms Gaskell told the court a young relative arrived at the home - upset and crying, and reported he had been chased.
Ms Smith asked where the incident had apparently taken place, to which Ms Gaskell said “just up the mish”.
A small group of people from the party travelled together by car, stopping just before the entrance to the Nambucca Plaza, near the cinema, the court heard.
Ms Gaskell said she saw “about six” people standing by a vehicle in the carpark, and her partner Mr Widders asked the group if anyone knew about a boy getting chased at the mission.
After a verbal exchange, Ms Gaskell told the court a man in the group fetched a bat from the boot of the car and “swung it at Harold” - felling him.
Ms Gaskell said she became aware that Kazzandra Widders - who had travelled with her - had gotten out of the car and was fighting with an “older lady” nearby, the court heard.
“They were punching each other,” Ms Gaskell said.
The court was told Ms Gaskell felt scared and drove back to the mission - returning a short time later with another woman.
As they neared the plaza, Ms Gaskell told the court she saw a green-coloured car do a u-turn and head toward the plaza, mounting a gutter - before a tree obscured her view of where it went.
As she approached the plaza, Ms Gaskell said she could hear crying and screaming, and observed the “older chubby lady” get out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
Earlier on Tuesday in the jury trial before Judge Jonathan Priestley, the court heard from Constable Jedd Harris, one of the first two police officers on the scene.
Constable Harris told the court that he and his patrol partner that night arrived at the plaza about 11.58 - and he had noticed David Luland was in the driver’s seat of the car and that two young children were in the back seat.
The officer said Mr Luland’s head was covered in blood, and told the court Mr Widders was becoming increasingly aggressive toward Mr Luland.
“I yelled at him (Mr Widders) to go away,” Constable Harris said.
The court was told a nearby resident had started to jack the vehicle, while Constable Harris said he tried to move Ms Luland free of the undercarriage, and later to help assist Ms Widders who was pinned under the front of the car.
The trial continues.
Named: Ex-rescue volunteer on ‘fake cop’, weapons charges
A former Taree rescue volunteer allegedly masqueraded as a police officer, dealt with stolen property and had prohibited weapons.
Named: Tamworth man accused of assault on four cops
A Tamworth man who was tasered after allegedly attacking four cops who were responding to an alleged family dispute involving a knife has fronted court.