Barnacles on Melissa Caddick’s shoe reveal clues to three month journey down coast
Conwoman’s decomposing foot could not have been dumped on the beach the day before her designer sneaker was found, inquest told.
Melissa Caddick’s decomposing foot could not have been dumped on the beach the day before the conwoman’s designer sneaker was found on the NSW south coast months after she disappeared, an inquest has heard.
David Griffin, principal research scientist in the CSIRO’s ocean unit, said the growth of barnacles indicated the shoe had floated on the surface of the water for between three to seven days either to the south or north of Bournda Beach, where it was found in February 2021.
He told the inquest into the conwoman’s disappearance on Wednesday that the speed of water currents meant it was entirely possible the foot had travelled from Sydney in 93 days.
Caddick disappeared the day after fraud investigators from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the Australian Federal Police raided her $15m mansion in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
She is alleged to have swindled more than $20m from investors, including family and friends, in a Ponzi scheme.
Her foot was found inside a designer sneaker on Bournda Beach, near Tathra, on the NSW south coast in February 2021.
On Wednesday, Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan stood down Caddick’s husband, Anthony Koletti, from giving evidence after he became distressed and confused and struggled to answer questions.
His lawyer, Judy Swan, said her client was not coping and she would take him to be assessed by a medical professional.
Dean Jordan SC, representing the corporate watchdog, and counsel assisting, Jason Downing SC, had previously flagged concerns with Mr Koletti’s testimony after he said “I have no idea what I am saying, I am just so confused”.
Mr Jordan said it was clear Mr Koletti was struggling to engage with conventional questions and it was not in anyone’s interest for him to answer questions under oath with possibly “some form of mental incapacity”.
Earlier, Mr Koletti struggled to answer questions and became distressed under cross-examination by Mr Downing.
Mr Koletti has conceded he gave conflicting statements to police, the inquest and journalists about the day Caddick disappeared, November 12, 2021.
He told the NSW Coroner’s Court on Wednesday he had no idea what Mr Downing was saying or about his questions.
“Why don’t you ask me one question at a time and I’ll try and answer it for you,” he said.
At one point, Ms Ryan asked Mr Koletti to please answer the question.
He replied: “I honestly can’t, your honour.”
Mr Koletti said he was finding it hard to focus on the court and the proceedings.
It is unclear when he will next be called to give testimony.
Caddick’s brother Adam Grimley said the conwoman’s family categorically dismissed any suggestion Mr Koletti could have been involved in her disappearance, in a statement released by the Coroner’s Court on Wednesday. “He is an extremely gentle and kind man and we firmly believe he would never have harmed Melissa,” he said.
“Anthony has suffered enormously from not only the loss of Melissa and the shock of Melissa’s misconduct but also by the unsubstantiated accusations made by parts of the media.”
The inquest continues.
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