Nicole Cartwright death: Dennis Pietrobon denied bail

Police allege a woman whose body was dumped in a Hunters Hill park met her alleged killer on a dating app for a “puff and play” meth-fuelled sex encounter.

Stunning details have emerged for the first time about how Nicole Cartwright was allegedly bound, killed and dumped in a Hunters Hill park in 2018 after a “puff and play” session that ended in tragedy.

Police have revealed in court Ms Carwright met a man on a dating app before she travelled to his Haberfield home for what they allege was a sexual encounter fuelled by drugs.

What happened next, they allege, saw her struck to the face and her hoodie taped around her head for two days before her remains were left in a harbourside park.

Dennis James Pietrobon was charged with murder eight months ago in a major breakthrough in the cold case.

This week he attempted to be released on bail over what his legal team says is his need for medical treatment and lengthy court delays before a trial.

Ms Cartwright died in October 2018.

Police alleged in court the violence began when Pietrobon struck Ms Cartwright at his house before using the hoodi to cover her head.

Police allege that two days later he transported her body in his Mercedes to Buffalo Creek Reserve

There he intended to use a council bin to move Ms Cartwright to her final resting place but was spooked by a member of the public.

Police then accuse him of dragging her body 30m and fleeing the scene.

In court on Wednesday police detailed how Pietrobon’s fingerprints and DNA were found on tape binding Ms Cartwright’s wrists, the garbage bin she was transported to the parkland in and that a shirt with his DNA was metres from her body.

His lawyer Lisa Munro argued at Burwood Local Court that detectives still had no stated cause of death for Ms Cartwright.

Brenda Cartwright, Nicole’s mother, was one of several relatives pleading with the public to help find her daughter’s killer. Picture: Joel Carrett

“The Crown cannot say what my client actually did,” she told the court.

“It is on the Crown case they meet up with for what crown says was consensual and highly risky sexual conduct to consume methylamphetamine.

“The DPP need to prove he caused the act and that he intended she die or cause grievous bodily harm. A highly experienced pathologist cannot say how she died.”

His legal team argued delays in bringing the case to trial and his need for medical treatment meant Pietrobon could be released on bail conditions akin to home arrest.

Nicholas Leach, from the Director of Public Prosecutions, laid out the alleged circumstances that led to Ms Cartwright’s death from a fateful Uber trip to Pietrobon’s home to how she ended up in suburban Sydney parkland.

“The Uber driver then leaves Haberfield and that is the last we see of deceased alive,” he said.

Pietrobon was arrested last May and charged with Nicole’s murder.

“On the Crown case what is taking place in the early hours is the deceased met up with (Pietrobon) to engage in a puff and play session.

“The accused has become extremely violent and struck the deceased to the left side of the face.”

Mr Leach told the court Ms Cartwright was allegedly stuffed in the boot of his car two days later where CCTV picked up a similar vehicle heading in the direction of the reserve.

“And on the crown case he has walked in to the reserve and removed a red council bin from a stand, brought a bin to the rear of his vehicle and placed the body into that council bin,” he said.

Ms Cartwright’s remains were found by a council worker in the reserve.

“Along that journey the bin has fallen over … what he has then done is he has grabbed the deceased and started dragging the body through some trees, leaves and some mulch approximately 30m to her final resting place.

“It is suspected (Pietrobon) has been spooked by a member of the public coming into the park or who was already there and he has left the scene because within 1.5m of the body there is a blue polo shirt that is covered in the accused’s DNA.”

Police this week laid further domestic assault charges against Pietrobon, using them in court to show he had a tendency to use violence against women.

Magistrate Lisa Stapleton denied his application to be released and adjourned the case to be heard at a later date.

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