St Clair alleged beheading: Jessica Camilleri pleads not guilty to mum’s murder
Sydney woman Jessica Camilleri, who police allege decapitated her mother in their western Sydney home, wants a judge-alone trial after pleading not guilty to murder.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A young Sydney woman who allegedly cut off her mother’s head with kitchen knives has pleaded not guilty and wants a judge-alone trial.
Jessica Camilleri appeared on Friday in the NSW Supreme Court when she pleaded not guilty to murder almost a year after she allegedly decapitated her mother Rita in their St Clair home.
The court was told the 25-year-old wanted to apply for a judge-alone trial – which prosecutors said they were against – and the case was adjourned to a hearing on the issue next month.
MORE NEWS
COVID rent row landlord charged with assaulting tenant
‘End the secrecy’: Kristy’s death haunts her mother
Commuter fares to be halved — but there’s a catch
Appearing via audiovisual link from Silverwater jail with her hair in ponytails, Camilleri said “not guilty” twice when her indictment was read out.
It comes after her defence barrister Nathan Steel previously told a court that medical professionals had recently found she was fit to stand trial.
“An issue of fitness was raised in the Local Court, hence the matter has been committed up to the Supreme Court,” he said.
“Since that was raised, we have received a report from Professor Greenberg … he’s of the view that Ms Camilleri is fit to stand trial.
“(We’ve) had a number of conferences with Ms Camilleri and we are also of the view that she is fit to stand trial as well.
“We previously had her assessed by a psychiatrist, who saw her in early November, and at that time (when) she prepared a report she found she was unfit to stand trial."
Sergeant Paul Farrow previously told a court that police struggled to take samples of Camilleri’s fingerprints because cuts on her hands were so serious on the night of the alleged murder in July 2019.
Police allege Camilleri killed her 57-year-old mother in their home before dialling triple-0 and telling authorities what she had allegedly done.
It is alleged she then went outside and left Rita’s head in a neighbour’s front yard before police arrived and later charged her with murder.
Camilleri's sister Kristi Torrisi previously said outside court she was "going through hell".
“My mother and my sister are both gone," she said.
“Jess is really, really not well, I can’t bring myself to talk about what we’re going through.”