Blessie trial: Knife buried in defendant's garden

Blesilda Gotingco. Photo / Supplied via Facebook

The jury in the Blessie Gotingco murder trial has heard about another knife found buried in the defendant's garden.

Constable Erik Bakker, the designated exhibits officer at the Birkdale property where the alleged killing took place, told the court about searching the inside and outside of the area.

The jury has already heard extensive evidence about a sheathed fish-fileting knife covered in blood found in a kitchen drawer on May 28, 2014.

This morning, Mr Bakker said two days later a handle was seen sticking out of the ground at the back of the apartment, under a monkey apple tree.Pictures of the red-handled kitchen knife removed were shown to the jury.

The Crown case is that just before 8pm on May 24, the defendant deliberately ran Mrs Gotingco down in his car as she walked home along Salisbury Rd from work.It is alleged he then bundled her into his car and took her back to his home where he raped her, slit her throat and stabbed her to death, before dumping the body at a nearby cemetery.

Mrs Gotingco's body was found two days after the alleged killing and the 28-year-old defendant was charged with committing the murder on May 27, while the examination of his home kicked into gear.

He was later also charged with raping the victim.

Mr Bakker is expected to be the first of a string of police officers to give evidence today about their actions at scene. The Crown is likely to finish calling witnesses this week before the defendant decides whether he will give evidence.

Officer in charge of the scene, Detective Roger Taylor was recalled and cross-examined by amicus of the court, Kevin Brosnahan, about a drawer that had been opened during a "cursory search" of the defendant's kitchen, before the knife was found.

Mr Taylor was unable to tell the court who opened the drawer - pictured in a police photograph - as there was no reference to it in his notebook.

"I suggest your records are simply inadequate," Mr Brosnahan said.

But the officer said it did not cast doubt on his evidence or the integrity of the scene.

"No, it's not a concern," he said. "Myself and the specialist staff were in there to conduct an examination."

There was a brief delay in court restarting after the morning tea break after a juror gave a note to a female journalist covering the trial.

Justice Timothy Brewer told the jury the man's actions had not compromised the trial but emphasised jurors had to be aware their actions were "under a microscope".

He said it was "really not a good idea".

The trial was scheduled to wrap up this week but will probably conclude next week.