Paddy Moriarty’s neighbour Fran Hodgetts threatened to kill him, inquest hears

The neighbour of missing Larrimah man Paddy Moriarty threatened to kill him a number of times, an inquest has heard.

Fran Hodgetts. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

The neighbour of missing man Paddy Moriarty threatened to kill him a number of times, an inquest into his disappearance has heard.

Mr Moriarty went missing from the tiny town of Larrimah in the Northern Territory on December 16, 2017. His dog Kellie is missing too, and police suspect foul play.

Most of Larrimah’s 11 residents have been called to give evidence at the inquest into his disappearance.

Among the leads police have followed is a long-running stoush between Mr Moriarty and his neighbour, Fran Hodgetts, who runs a Devonshire tea house.

One resident who used to work for Mrs Hodgetts washing dishes at her teahouse today alleged Mrs Hodgetts had repeatedly threatened to kill Mr Moriarty.

Bobby Roth, who has lived in Larrimah for 19 years, was in tears as she told Coroner Greg Cavanagh about the threats.

“She used to say she’d kill Paddy and she also used to say she’d kill her husband, Bill,” Ms Roth said.

“She didn’t like Paddy, she was always accusing him of stealing things from her property. “Magazines would go missing off the tables or something small and she’d always blame Paddy.”

Mrs Roth said Mr Moriarty used to abuse her too, perhaps because she worked for Mrs Hodgetts, and that he was “rude and obnoxious when he was drunk”.

Her husband Karl Roth also said he had heard Mrs Hodgetts make the threats, but that he didn’t think they were serious.

Lenny Hodson and Billy Hodgetts wait outside Katherine Local Court with fellow Larrimah residents to be called into the courtroom on the first day of the inquest into the disappearance of Paddy Moriarty. Picture: Michael Franchi

“She used to say ‘I’ll kill him’ or ‘I’ll bash him’, but it was just one of those things you’d say … there was no plan behind it.”

Mr Roth said a few years ago Mrs Hodgetts had asked him to buy and install CCTV cameras on her property for her because she was having problems Mr Moriarty.

Mrs Hodgetts ex-husband Bill Hodgetts also gave evidence that she and Mr Moriarty had been arguing for years.

“I had to have a go at him a few times, he was hard on her,” Mr Hodgetts said.

He told the inquest Mr Moriarty and Mrs Hodgetts were once friends, but that after he returned from a two-month work trip, the neighbours were no longer talking.

The inquest continues at Katherine Local Court today and tomorrow.

Fran's Devonshire tea House owner Fran Hodgetts. Picture: Michael Franchi.