Danny Deacon trial: Carlie Sinclair’s mother testifies daughter planned to leave partner

MARLENE Sinclair fought back tears as she recounted the last ever conversation she had with her daughter, Carlie, the night before she was allegedly murdered

Mother of Carlie Sinclair, Marlene Sinclair and son Kristian Sinclair walk out of the Supreme Court after giving evidence for the Danny Deacon trial.

MARLENE Sinclair fought back tears as she recounted the last ever conversation she had with her daughter, Carlie, the night before she was allegedly murdered.

The last time Mrs Sinclair spoke to her daughter she was planning how she was going to tell her partner, Danny Deacon, she was leaving him, a court has heard.

Mrs Sinclair was called as a witness in the Northern Territory Supreme Court trial of Deacon — who stands charged with her daughter’s murder.

Deacon, 45, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Sinclair on or around June 18, 2013, at their decorative concreting business in Parap.

“She was sad, she wanted to move to Brisbane ... her relationship had broken down and she just wanted to get away,” she said.

Mrs Sinclair was visibly emotional as she told the court the last time she ever spoke to her daughter was on 17 June 2013.

“She wanted to leave Darwin the right way and do it all properly, not just take off,” she said.

“I offered to pay for somebody privately (a lawyer) and she said ‘no’ because Danny would see the account.”

Mrs Sinclair gave evidence her daughter was less confident towards the end of the couple’s relationship and they had been having relationship trouble for about a year leading up to her disappearance.

Ms Sinclair’s older brother Kristian Sinclair was also called to give evidence.

He said the pair was “good mates” and would talk often.

After chatting to Charlie earlier in the evening of June, 18, 2013 the last communication he ever had with his sister was a text message she sent at 9.42pm, the court heard.

Mr Sinclair said the text read: “Danny turned up at the yard with Alex in a pram???????? talk tomorrow big kiss.”

Robert Sinclair, Carlie’s father, gave evidence via video link from Brisbane that his daughter was making preparation to attempt to get custody of their young son.

The court also heard from Thomas and Carolyn Chapman the downstairs neighbours of Ms Sinclair and Deacon.

Mr Chapman said he and Ms Sinclair had a system that if she feared for safety she would bang three times on the floor upstairs or throw a bottle onto his patio and he would run up stairs and help.

Mrs Chapman said that Deacon “controlled” Ms Sinclair and that “Alex was Carlie’s world”.

In cross examination Mr Chapman said that Ms Sinclair had never used the system.