Latest News
Dickason trial: Mother accused of murdering three daughters wasn’t ‘nurturing’, father tells court
Hours after a father found his three daughters dead in their Timaru home, he told police his children preferred him over their mum and how his wife was “not a nurturing mother”.
Karla and Maya, two-year-old twins, and their older sister, six-year-old Liané, were found dead in their beds on 16 September, 2021.
Their mother, Lauren Anne Dickason, 42, has been charged with three murder counts and has pleaded not guilty, with her legal team arguing a defence on insanity and infanticide. Infanticide functions as a standalone offence and as a partial defence to murder, according to the Crimes Act.
On the second day of the trial today, in the High Court at Christchurch, video footage of Graham Dickason’s 2021 police interview was played for the jury and judge. The 46-year-old orthopaedic surgeon later gave evidence from South Africa via audiovisual link.
During questioning by police on the night of the deaths, Dr Dickason was seen in the footage with his head in his hands often as he quietly described the events prior to their deaths. He told Timaru police detective Sam Hawker how he arrived home from a work function and realised something was awry.
“I went in the living room, saw my wife standing in the kitchen, put down my keys.
“She looked strange, she looked wobbly like as if she wanted to fall over and I asked her if she’s okay, she didn’t really reply and I asked her what’s the matter and she told me it’s too late.
“I can’t remember the exact words. I asked too late for what and then asked her if she, if she took something, why is she looking like this. I assumed the kids were sleeping.”
The Crown argues his wife made unsuccessful attempts to asphyxiate the girls and then smothered them with their blankets. Dr Dickason described to police how he reacted when he realised his daughters were no longer alive.
“I panicked, I didn’t know what to do. I ran back asked her what’s she done. Not something specific, I think I just screamed. I screamed repeatedly.
“I’m not sure I went out, I went back in, I went out. I sat outside, I’m not sure how long, I wasn’t sure what to do.”
It had been only a month since the family arrived in New Zealand from South Africa.
The court heard how Dickason, whose long history of mental health struggles and trauma were recounted in her husband’s three-hour police interview, struggled during Covid-19 isolation periods prior to the move. This was exacerbated when one of the girls tested positive, which delayed their departure by another two weeks, the court heard.
“It was not a traumatic experience but it didn’t, it wasn’t part of the plan,” Dr Dickason said.
“And Lauren was not in a good place.”
He also told police how she had difficulties parenting.
“She would always make sure that there were clean clothes, food to eat, she always made sure the kids are where they needed to be. She was not a nurturing mother.
“The kids preferred me, not so much Liané anymore because she’s a big girl, but the twins definitely preferred me.”
Having returned to his homeland after the deaths, Dr Dickason gave evidence via audiovisual link on Tuesday afternoon.
Crown Prosecutor Andrew McRae at the high court trial on 17 July, 2023. Photo: Pool / George Heard
Crown prosecutor Andrew McRae asked him about Dickason’s demeanour upon arriving in the country. Dr Dickason said she was prone to periods where she was more “quieter and reserved”.
“Lauren, in my mind, has always been more of an introvert,” he told the court.
“But in my opinion, this was different to the prior periods. She was definitely quieter in those last couple of weeks and more reserved.”
The court also heard how Dickason was annoyed at her husband for having started his new job in Timaru earlier than planned. He said while his wife cared for the girls, she was often emotional and would not pick them up for a cuddle very often.
Dickason will be cross-examined by the defence on Wednesday.
On Monday, the court heard from defence lawyer Kerryn Beaton KC, who said in her opening statement that Dickason longed to be a mother, and underwent 17 rounds of IVF to have her daughters. Dickason loved her children, Beaton said.
She said Dickason had always tried to do what was best for her children, but on the night of the deaths, she was experiencing such a major depressive episode that she felt she needed to kill herself, and take her daughters with her.
The trial is set down for three weeks.
RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
rnz
Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large
New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals
Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs
-
Latest News2 months ago‘Chilling’: Business groups speak out against National’s supermarket break-up plan
-
NZ News2 months agoTom Phillips report: The missed opportunities to find the children
-
Politics2 months agoNational vows to try to split Pak’nSave and New World
-
Latest News2 months agoCars bearing Chinese police markings stir unease in Auckland
-
Fiji News2 months agoPlans to have new Constitution by Dec 24th 2026
-
NZ News2 months agoCop who stole $68,000 can now be named as champion Muay Thai fighter Haimona Tamati-Te Paki
-
Politics2 months agoMBIE confirms botched biometric projects costs blown out to $50.7 million
-
Latest News2 months agoFive Karangahape Road venues lose their liquor licences after police intervention