Police had ‘enough evidence’ for a murder charge

[Guest Nicole]

Police had enough evidence to charge a Royal Australian Navy sailor with the murder or manslaughter of Sara-Lee Davey within three months of her disappearance in Broome 19 years ago, an inquest has been told.

Paul Gazia, the lawyer acting for her family, put the proposition to case officer Insp. Mark Bordan during yesterday’s inquest in Broome into the suspected death of Ms Davey.

Ms Davey, 21, had been staying in Broome for a few days when she met murder suspect Richard Edward Dorrough, 37, at a nightclub.

The pair went by taxi to the Broome wharf about 2.30am on January 14, 1997.

Dorrough tried to join his ship HMAS Geelong berthed at the wharf with Ms Davey but was refused by Able Seaman Dean Mildenhall, who was on security duties.

Mr Mildenhall told the inquest that Dorrough said he was going to take Ms Davey to the end of the wharf and have sex with her.

Fisherman David Jones testified that about the same time he heard a woman yelling and screaming saying “get the hell off me” and he may have heard a splash sound.

Mr Mildenhall said Dorrough returned to the vessel a short time later with scratch marks on his face that were not there before.

A suicide note Dorrough left in 2014 said: “I did kill three times. It is the hardest thing to live with while trying to become a (Jehovah’s) Witness.”

Mr Gazia suggested to Insp. Bordin there was enough evidence from witnesses confirming he was at the wharf with Ms Davey, the scratches on his face and that there were no more confirmed sightings of her. Insp. Bordin replied there was not enough evidence to charge him because four witnesses claimed to have seen her on or after January 14.

Source:https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/31287093/enough-evidence-for-kill-charge/

[Evacuated]

1 hour ago, Nicole said:

A suicide note Dorrough left in 2014 said: “I did kill three times. It is the hardest thing to live with while trying to become a (Jehovah’s) Witness.”

I presume his association with Jehovah's Witnesses was subsequent to these incidents...or not? There needs to be a little more context to these kind of reports in my opinion.