Neo-Nazi hammer killer protests innocence

A Perth woman found guilty of murdering her partner in a plot with fellow white supremacists insists she played no role in his death.

A white supremacist convicted of murdering her partner in his Perth home insists she was not involved in the fatal bludgeoning.

Father of one Alan Taylor was killed with a hammer in 2016 at the Girrawheen house he shared with Melony Jane Attwood, 37, and her 22-year-old lover Robert Edhouse, who was the president of neo-Nazi group Aryan Nations.

The pair went on trial in the Supreme Court of WA earlier this year along with Corey Joshua Dymock, who was acquitted of murder but found guilty of being an accessory.

A fourth person, and associate of the group who cannot be identified, pleaded guilty to murder and was given a reduced sentence for testifying.

The trial heard the group went to a cinema after the killing in a bid to create a false alibi and Attwood made a distressed-sounding call to triple-0 when she returned home.

Attwood, who led Aryan Girls, continues to insist she didn't take part in the murder and was in the shower when Mr Taylor was being killed, her lawyer Richard Utting said during sentencing submissions on Tuesday.

"Her position is she played no role in the death of Mr Taylor," Mr Utting said.

Edhouse also maintains he didn't kill Mr Taylor but admits disposing of evidence including the hammer, his lawyer Lisa Boston said.

Dymock's lawyer Justine Fisher said the most serious part of her client's offending was participating in the alibi bid and clean-up.

Ms Fisher said the 21-year-old was very loyal to Edhouse, had a "follower" personality and had found a sense of belonging and protection with Aryan Nations after being shunned by his deeply religious parents aged 12.

She said he had severed contact with his co-offenders and was no longer a member of the group but retained "white power" views, which elicited a smirk from Edhouse.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo said Attwood and Edhouse's motive for the killing was getting hold of a $1 million life insurance policy they believed Mr Taylor had and continuing their relationship unencumbered by him.

Justice Jenkins will sentence the trio at a later date.

Edhouse will also be sentenced for trying to attack Dymock in the dock moments after he was convicted.

He had to be restrained by security guards and police after he threw punches and threatened to kill his former friend and was later charged with contempt of court.


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3 min read
Published 1 May 2018 6:18pm
Source: AAP


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