Accused killer grilled lawyer on the best ways to dispose of body, Launceston Supreme Court hears

A letter written to the man accused of killing Jake Anderson-Brettner was written out of fear not love, according to evidence heard in the murder trial. ALL THE LATEST FROM COURT >>

• Murder trial Day 1: Fiancee recounts night of partner’s death
• Murder trial Day 2: Accused killer disposed of body parts in wheelie bins

TUESDAY, MAY 11

THE letter of the former girlfriend to an accused killer and smuggled to the Riverside man while they were both in prison saying “I love you so much, as much as ever” was written out of fear, a court was told.

Jack Harrison Vincent Sadler, 29, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jake Anderson-Brettner, 24, on August 15, 2018.

Mr Sadler’s defence counsel Greg Richardson read the letter that included the words “our family is still possible, just not right now” to the Launceston Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The court heard the letter from Gemma Clark was sent to him following her fourth interview with police in the days after the alleged murder. She said Mr Sadler had previously sent her a letter through a warden saying she had been giving evidence.

Jake Daniel Anderson-Brettner.

Asked during the cross examination by Mr Richardson if the letter had been “written out of fear not love” she responded “yes”.

Ms Clark said there were comments made throughout their relationship by Mr Sadler that if she was to do wrong by him everyone around her would be hurt. She said she hadn’t taken opportunities to leave in the days following the events of August 15, 2018 because she was fearful Mr Sadler “could have hurt my dog, could have hurt my family”.

Mr Richardson questioned Ms Clark on some answers she gave during police interviews, asking if they were directed by Mr Sadler or if she had made it up at the time for self preservation.

She said some had been “embellished”.

The court was told Mr Sadler and Ms Clark stayed at the Silos Hotel after being told by police the Dion Crescent address they lived at was a crime scene, and while in the shower together at the hotel Mr Sadler had told her Mr Anderson-Brettner had “probably just done a bender” and would show up. Mr Richardson asked how that could possibly be true when she had driven a vehicle getting rid of something all over Northern Tasmania and she had helped clean up.

Ms Clark said “it was conflicting” and later said “the reason it was being said was because I was upset, I knew it wasn’t true”.

Mr Sadler and Ms Clark were arrested on August 18, 2018. The court was told the following day Ms Clark directed police to the area of the Sideling where the torso of Mr Anderson-Brettner was located.

The jury heard Ms Clark had bought chilli powder, cayenne pepper, vinegar and baby oil on August 14, 2018 and had done so previously.

Asked by Mr Richardson if she thought it was to hide the odour emitted from illicit drugs when they were transported she responded “yes”.

Ms Clark is serving time in prison after pleading guilty to charges of being an accessory after the fact of the murder and failing to report a killing.

The trial continues before Justice Robert Pearce.

Day three of the trial: Accused killer grilled lawyer on best ways to dispose of body

A FORMER Launceston lawyer has told court he was asked by the man accused of killing Jake Anderson-Brettner about how to dispose of a body a day before the alleged murder.

Adrian Hall appeared as a witness at the Launceston Supreme Court on Thursday and said he met with Jack Vincent Harrison Sadler on August 14, 2018 at the Star Bar.

He told the court Mr Sadler had “asked if someone is a missing person do they stay a missing person with police until they find the body”.

Mr Hall said they spoke about some of his former cases and Mr Sadler had asked “if you were to dispose of a body where would be a good place to put it” and they had discussed the disposal of bodies down mine shafts.

Launceston Supreme Court.

Mr Hall said he told Mr Sadler it was generally suggested “Rossarden was a good place to dispose of a body”.

During cross examination defence counsel Greg Richardson asked if people asked Mr Hall about former cases and he responded it happened on “an almost daily basis”.

“He didn’t say he was intending to kill someone?” Mr Richardson asked.

“No,” Mr Hall responded.

Mr Hall told the court Mr Sadler had sought to meet with him to discuss a charge of driving with an illicit drug in his system.

Mr Sadler, 29, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Anderson-Brettner, 24, at his Riverside home on August 15, 2018.

He is accused of shooting Mr Anderson-Brettner three times before cutting off his head, arms and legs, disposing of the torso off an embankment in the Sideling and putting the other body parts in garbage bags and disposing them in wheelie bins around the Launceston area.

Senior Constable Peter McCarron who was working with forensic services when he attended the Dion Crescent property on August 16, 2018 told the court there was “an overwhelming smell of bleach and cleaning products” at the house.

Tasmania Police search the Remount Road tip in Launceston in relation to Jake Daniel Anderson-Brettner. Picture: BRUCE MOUNSTER

It was also revealed in court a text message sent from Mr Sadler’s phone five days before its alleged he killed Mr Anderson-Brettner said “I’m going to flog” him.

The message was sent to acquaintance Michael Jenkins, a relative of Mr Anderson-Brettner’s fiancee Katlyn Roney.

Mr Jenkins then responded “you should have done that a long time ago.”

The court was told Mr Sadler had previously worked as an apprentice for Mr Jenkins at his painting business in 2018, finishing in May of that year and Mr Anderson-Brettner had owed Mr Jenkins $4000 for a motorcycle he had purchased from him.

Under questioning from Mr Richardson Mr Jenkins denied the money had been owed for illicit drugs.

Mr Jenkins said he had met with Ms Roney after she called him about 3am on August 16, 2018 and had driven her around to look for her fiance Mr Anderson-Brettner.

Later that day he had met with Mr Sadler outside his house and followed him in his car.

Mr Jenkins said he thought they were heading to a paint job at a kebab shop that had previously been discussed, but they went to a storage shed in Legana.

He said Mr Sadler had brought him there “to look at a pump”.

Mr Richardson asked if it was a pill press used to manufacture illicit drugs.

“Couldn’t tell you,” Mr Jenkins responded.

The court was told of a text message sent from Sadler’s phone to Mr Jenkins in June 2018, “got some s****s who want to pay 20, going to pay $20 each, if he makes some excuse they are no good or his customers fell through I’m going to cut his toes off, had enough of being f****ed around by Brettner and Rowan.”

During his cross examination Mr Richardson asked what the money was for Mr Jenkins said “it was probably for drugs”.

The court was also told Mr Anderson-Brettner had collected a bag he had asked his friend Thomas Larissey to store for him at his house at about 6.30pm on August 15, 2018.

It’s alleged he was killed at Mr Sadler’s house at about 7.30pm that night.

The case continues before Justice Robert Pearce.