Judge Boomer : Good morning. Prosecutor Driver : If it pleases the court my name is Francis Driver and I appear for the prosecution. Counsel Shield : If it pleases the court my name is Nick/Niki Shield and I appear for the defence. Judge Boomer: Thank you Counsel. Please read the charge to the accused. The accused, Brent Dreamer, stands in the dock and faces the Bench. Judge's Associate: Brent Dreamer, you have been charged under section 19AA of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act, 1935 of the unlawful stalking of Molly Simpson between January 2000 and December 2000. How do you plead? Brent Dreamer: Not guilty The accused sits down. The accused is entitled to trial by an impartial jury. To achieve this a jury of at least12 adults must be empanelled at the start of the trial. Prospective jurors may be challenged by either party, to allow the parties some input in the composition of a jury. A judge may excuse a potential juror, based on a number of criteria, such as knowing parties or witnesses in the case. Judge Boomer : Would the prosecution now read all of the names of the witnesses it will be calling to give evidence. Would the prospective jurors please listen carefully to those names and let me know if you have any association with them. If you do, stand up. Prosecutor Driver : Turns to Gallery The prosecution will be calling the victim, Molly Simpson and her friend, Jessica Clancy. Judge Boomer : Do any of the jurors know these witnesses? Prospective juror stands up Judge Boomer : Please come forward. Prospective moves to bench and talks quietly, saying she went to school with Clancy and moves back to the body of court. Boomer: Thank you. Could the Judge's Associate please remove that juror's name from the roll. Does any juror know anyone else in the court room? Pause No, very well. We can empanel the jury. The Judge's Associate has a card for each prospective juror. These cards are drawn at random from the box and the prospective jurors name and number is called out aloud. This continues until 12 people are seated in the jury box.
Witness Simpson : Yes! He was becoming very possessive and paranoid. He was very jealous and wouldn't let me talk privately with any one, not even my female friends. Prosecutor Driver : What prompted you to finally break off the relationship? Witness Simpson : He had too much to drink and started to argue with me because I was talking to some of my friends when he went off to the toilets. Prosecutor Driver : And what happened? Witness Simpson : Brent pushed one of my male friends and then punched him for no reason. I immediately said to him. "That's it, I'm not going out with you." Prosecutor Driver : And then what happened? Witness Simpson : He was angry at first but then tried to apologise. This type of thing had happened in the past and I was tired of it. I wanted the relationship to stop. Prosecutor Driver : And how did you get home that evening? Witness Simpson : I wanted to find my own way home but Brent wouldn't let me. In the end I phoned my father and he came and picked me up. Prosecutor Driver : Have you seen Brent at your home since that date? Counsel Shield : I object Your Honour, the prosecution is trying to lead the witness. Judge Boomer : I have to agree with Counsel Ms Driver. It is a point in issue. Perhaps you could rephrase the question without prompting the answer. Prosecutor Driver : If you please Your Honour. Ms Simpson, you describe your relationship with the accused since New Year's Eve? Witness Simpson : I no longer wanted go out with him or to see him again. In fact, I was becoming scared of him. Prosecutor Driver : Why were you becoming scared? Witness Simpson : He was obsessive. He to stop me leaving. He rang me up in the morning to apologise. I spoke to him nicely but made it quite clear that I didn't want to see him again. Prosecutor Driver : And what did he do when you told him that? Witness Simpson : (crying) He kept ringing over and over. I answered the phone two or three times but eventually took if off the receiver. Prosecutor Driver : And then what happened?