John Chardon murder trial: Crown says alleged killer a pantomime villain

Alleged killer John Chardon is a liar and the pantomime villain with a complete lack of self-awareness, a Queensland jury has been told.

ALLEGED killer John Chardon is a liar and the pantomime villain in a story about his murdered wife Novy, a Queensland jury has been told.

After a three week trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court, Crown Prosecutor Mark Green this morning began closing his case, telling the jury the accused man was “the sort of person you wouldn’t believe his name was John Chardon unless you saw his birth certificate”.

In a scathing attack on Chardon’s version of events the night his wife went missing, the court heard the 72-year-old “lacked any self awareness and thought everyone was interested in hearing his stories”.

“But he is the only one who would be foolish enough to believe anything he had to say,” Mr Green added.

Novy Chardon’s body has never been found. File picture

The Crown Prosecutor opened his address by saying the murder trial was the allegedly slain 34-year-old woman’s story.

“It is the Novy Chardon story, it’s not the John Chardon story as much as he would like it to be,” Mr Green said, calling the man a “pantomime villain”.

He later told the jury despite the fact the case against Chardon was circumstantial, without these types of cases “murderers like John Chardon would get away with what they did”.

Mr Green referred to the disparaging ways in which Chardon had referred to his missing wife Novy.

“Can you imagine what it would be like living under the same roof as that man, with the opinions he had of her,” he said.

The court heard Novy was allegedly looking to start her own life when she disappeared, making plans for the future and working toward finalising her divorce with Chardon.

Mr Green said the evidence painted “a very clear picture of a woman who was looking forward to ending the worst part of her life”.

John Chardon. File picture

“When she could finally move on with her life out from the dark shadow cast by Mr Chardon,” he said.

Chardon is on trial for the murder of his 34-year-old wife Novy, who was last seen on the Gold Coast on February 6, 2013.

Her handbag, passport and bank cards were later found at the Upper Coomera property she shared with Chardon.

Her car was found near the Nerang train station several days after she went missing.

Novy’s body had never been located.

The lubricant tycoon who invented Inox has pleaded not guilty to the killing.

Throughout the trial, Chardon claimed he was a philanthropist, when asked about sexual “payback” for sending money to students overseas.

“Maybe it’s not his overwhelming charisma or his rugged good looks that has drawn these women to him … because generally giving money for sex doesn’t usually count as philanthropy,” Mr Green said this morning.

The jury was also told small details, like the fact Novy had scheduled a car detailing for the days after she went missing and had purchased products for her beauty business, disproved Chardon’s claims that she had walked away from her life and was “travelling the world”.

“He thinks that he can get away with murder because he did such a good job at disposing of Novy’s body,” Mr Green said.

The trial continues and Justice Ann Lyons is expected to begin her summing up this afternoon.

Originally published as John Chardon murder trial: Crown says alleged killer a pantomime villain