Accused Owed Money To Victims, Court Told

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday May 22, 2008

By VERONICA APAP

A WOMAN accused of a double murder owed her alleged victims $300 in unpaid fees, a court heard yesterday.

In 2001, Kim Leanne Snibson had agisted her two horses at Champagne Shires on Albatross Rd, Nowra Hill, which was owned by Greg Hosa and his wife Kathryn McKay.

Yesterday, Ms McKay's sister Janet Kielly told the NSW Supreme Court that Snibson had left a debt of $300 when she took her horses off the farm.

"(Kathryn) told me Kim had come to her and told her (Snibson) and her husband were separating and she could not afford to pay the fees she owed and Kathryn told her 'Pay when you can'," Ms Kielly said.

"(The debt) was around 300 odd dollars. It was never paid."

Ms Kielly said Snibson accidentally left a broken saddle at the farm, which Ms McKay later sold to repay part of the debt.

She said when Snibson inherited her house in Calymea St, Nowra Hill, Ms McKay said: "You would think she would pay what she owed."

Ms Kielly struggled through tears as she said the last time she saw her younger sister was on the day she was murdered.

She had gone to Champagne Shires about midday and spent about an hour there having coffee and a chat with Ms McKay.

Snibson, 37, and Andrew Wayne Flentjar, 33, of Kalandar St, Nowra Hill, are on trial, charged with the kidnap and murder of Mr Hosa, 56, and Ms McKay, 44.

Peter Dalton and his wife unwittingly initiated the murder investigation when they reported two burning drums they saw during their bike ride in the Tomerong State Forest on the morning of January 29, 2006.

"At first there was a burning smell, then we came across a couple of barrels in the clearing," he said.

"There was still heat, some fire and smoke coming out of them."

Rural Fire Brigade captain, Craig Beaumont, was with the first crew to attend to the smouldering barrels and was the first person to see their contents.

"When we arrived we could smell a funny smell," he said.

"I had a look in one of the drums and saw what we believed to be a body.

"It wasn't burning but there was some black smoke coming out of one of the drums."

The bodies were later found to be those of Ms McKay and Mr Hosa.

The couple's neighbour, Tess Boulos, first realised they had gone missing the night before their bodies were discovered.

She had tried to call them repeatedly and went to their home where she found the front door ajar, although the flyscreen door was locked.

Several lights were on and the back door was also unlocked.

The trial before Justice Terrence Buddin will continue today.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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