Accused toddler killer John Torney thought police were playing mind games with him
AN ACCUSED toddler killer believed police were playing “f**king mind games” when they told him the little girl’s body was found in the roof.
AN ACCUSED toddler killer believed police were playing “f**king mind games” when they told him the little girl’s body was found in the roof.
John Torney is on trial for the murder of his then-girlfriend’s daughter, Nikki Francis-Coslovich, who was killed on August 25 last year and was hid in the roof of the family’s Mildura home.
Torney, 32, denies killing the toddler and the court heard on Monday he told police the two-year-old’s mother was the last to see her alive.
He told police he didn’t believe in hitting kids and had never smacked a child.
In a recorded interview with police, Torney is heard crying and said Nikki’s mother, Peta-Ann Francis, was the last to check on the young girl, who was in her bed.
When Nikki was found missing from her bed, Ms Francis and Torney filed a missing-person report. But police soon found the toddler’s body in the roof of the family home.
Torney told Sergeant Kaare Anderson, who responded to the missing person report, he went to Nikki’s room to wake her up but she was gone, the court heard on Monday.
Sergeant Anderson said when he arrived at the Mildura home, Ms Francis was smiling and appeared happy while she told officers about her missing daughter.
“I immediately thought that was very odd,” Sergeant Anderson said.
Torney appeared “slightly teary” and upset after the toddler disappeared, the court heard.
Torney told Sergeant Anderson Nikki had seemed “pretty tired but good” earlier in the day.
The accused killer said Nikki was in her bed around 1pm when he went to the bedroom with Ms Francis to have sex.
When they left the bedroom about 2.45pm, Nikki was gone, Torney said.
He began searching the house but could not find her, he told police.
He said he looked in the yard, the house, cupboards, the fridge, the “f**king freezer” and the washing machine.
Police found Nikki in the roof cavity and when told, Torney said “are youse playing f**king mind games or something with me, you f*** heads?”
Torney said he had never been in the roof cavity or accessed the man hole.
“The only thing I’ve ever done with that roof in that house is put f**king covers over the vents,” he told police, adding he was able to do this from ground level.
The trial continues.
