A Riverina teen believed to be murdered over the custody of her child was pressured to have an abortion by her own family, the Wagga Supreme Court has heard.
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The trial against Harden couple Robert Samuel Geeves and Anne Margaret Geeves - who are each facing a charge of murdering Amber Haigh in June 2002 - has heard an argument that the teen's great-aunt Stella Nealon pressured her into having an abortion when she fell pregnant to a relative at 14.
Ms Haigh had formerly lived with the pair at their Kingsvale property and had a son with Mr Geeves just months before her disappearance.
The court has heard evidence from a 2002 police report where Mr Geeves said he and his wife drove the 19-year-old Ms Haigh to Campbelltown Railway Station on June 5, with the intention to visit her father who was in hospital.
She has not been seen since.
On Tuesday, the Wagga Court heard Ms Haigh came to stay with Ms Nealon at their Kingsvale property near Harden; she developed a sexual relationship with one of her own relatives - Paul Harding - who Ms Nealon said was "a few" years her senior who was living under the same roof.
Testifying in court, Stella Nealon said her great-niece Ms Haigh became pregnant and that she became aware Mr Harding was the father.
Ms Nealon said Ms Haigh's mother Rosalind Wright - who testified in court last week - wanted the child terminated and arrangements were made before that was then carried out in Canberra.
However, defence barristers Paul Coady and Michael King, appearing for Mr and Mrs Geeves respectively, argued Ms Nealon pressured her great-niece into having an abortion.
Ms Nealon however strongly denied this claim.
Mr Coady further pressed Ms Nealon on the issue of the sexual relationship between Mr Harding and Ms Haigh, arguing she put pressure on Ms Haigh to terminate the pregnancy and "cover up the fact that Paul Harding was the father".
Mr Coady said that pressure on Ms Haigh caused her to make a disclosure to a TAFE teacher instead.
Mr King meanwhile suggested Ms Nealon found it "a little embarrassing" when her "grandson Paul started a relationship" with Ms Haigh.
"You do know about the age of consent ... that it is 16 years," Mr King said.
Crown prosecutor Paul Kerr also turned the focus to Ms Haigh's son she bore in January 2002, about five months before her disappearance.
Ms Nealon said her great-niece "loved" that baby and was very protective of it.
When asked if Ms Haigh would have left that baby in the care of anyone else, Ms Nealon said the only person who she would give it to was her.
Due to the lengthy testimony of Ms Nealon, three further witnesses were unable to take the stand and will be heard at a later date.
Four fresh witnesses are set to appear, including Robbie Geeves, Michael Haigh, Nathan Cross and Angelina Fitzgibbon (nee Goode), on Wednesday.
The trial continues.
Andrew Mangelsdorf
Originally from South Australia, Andrew Mangelsdorf grew up in Victoria before launching his career in Temora, NSW. He also served as a journalist at Lake Cargelligo before making the move to The Daily Advertiser in 2022. Always on the lookout for story ideas, so if you've got one, let me know: andrew.mangelsdorf@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Originally from South Australia, Andrew Mangelsdorf grew up in Victoria before launching his career in Temora, NSW. He also served as a journalist at Lake Cargelligo before making the move to The Daily Advertiser in 2022. Always on the lookout for story ideas, so if you've got one, let me know: andrew.mangelsdorf@austcommunitymedia.com.au
