Karl Desroy Louis ARKINS

COURT REPORTS

Nielsen inquest expected to end in about a week.

SYDNEY: NSW’s longest inquest into the suspected death of Mrs Juanita Nielsen — is expected to end late next week or early the following week.

City Coroner Mr Bert Wilson, SM, who has presided over the hearing, said yesterday that the inquest would probably conclude in about a week or two.

Mr Wilson was replying to a question from the jury of six who were anxious to know what stage the inquest had reached.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Mrs Priscilla Fleming, told the jury that evidence was expected to finish early Monday morning.

The final witness, Detective Sergeant Karl Arkins, who headed the Nielsen investigation, has now almost finished his second round of evidence after being recalled to give further testimony.

Yesterday was the 55th day of the inquest into the suspected death of the missing newspaper heiress, last seen in Kings Cross on July 4, 1975.

The previous record stood at 50 days for the hearing into the deaths of three men in a mine-shaft fire at Cobar in western NSW.

Barrister Mr Geoff Graham, appearing for the NSW Police Commissioner and NSW Police Force, questioned Detective Arkins yesterday about conversations he had had with Mr Eddie Trigg, convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to abduct Mrs Nielsen.

Mr Trigg suddenly changed his plea to guilty at his trial and is serving a three-year prison term.

A 25-year-old man who said he had met Mr Trigg while in prison at Long Bay Jail alleged during the inquest that money was paid to Mr Trigg to change his plea to guilty. He said Mr Trigg had mentioned a figure of $70,000 and had hinted that the money was paid by Sydney businessman Mr Abe Saffron.

Mr Graham asked Detective Arkins whether Mr Trigg had indicated to him that he would plead guilty during conversations they had had soon after Mr Trigg returned from the US late last year to face the conspiracy charge.

Detective Arkins replied, “Yes he did, this was shortly after his return. I didn’t ever seriously believe he would, even though he talked about it.”

To support his belief, Detective Arkins said he had arranged for witnesses to come from interstate and New Zealand for Mr Trigg’s trial.

While in San Francisco to arrange for Mr Trigg’s return, Detective Arkins said he had put to Mr Trigg the allegation that he had been lent money by Mr Saffron.

Mr Trigg strongly denied the allegation, saying he would not have ever had more than two conversations with Mr Saffron and even these would have probably been no more than “hello”.

In February Mr Trigg suddenly changed his plea to guilty during his trial and was sentenced to three years’ jail.

Nielsen inquest

Saffron denies he had business dealings with Nugan Hand.

SYDNEY: Mr Abe Saffron denied yesterday that he had ever had any business dealings with the collapsed Nugan Hand merchant bank.

Mr Saffron, a Sydney businessman, was giving evidence for the third day at the inquest in Glebe Coroner’s Court into the suspected death of Mrs Juanita Nielsen.

Mrs Priscilla Fleming, counsel assisting the Coroner, asked Mr Saffron whether he knew of a $50,000 loan arranged through Nugan Hand in Hong Kong.

“I have no knowledge of that transaction whatsoever,” he said. He repeated that neither he nor his companies had had any dealings with Nugan Hand.

Mrs Nielsen, a Kings Cross newspaper owner, was last seen at the Carousel Cabaret nightclub in Kings Cross on July 4, 1975. The Carousel Cabaret operated from premises owned by Mr Saffron.

Mr Frank Theeman, who had planned developments in Victoria Street, Kings Cross, which Mrs Nielsen opposed, had given  evidence to the inquest of meeting Mr Saffron at the Lodge 44 offices.

Mrs Fleming asked .Mr Saffron whether Mr Theeman had ever made such a visit.

Mr Saffron: I can’t recollect any time he was there. He may have, but I can’t recollect.

Did he ever go there to discuss business? — Not to discuss business.

Mrs Fleming asked whether Mr Theeman had been invited to Mr Saffron’s 60th birthday party at a Sydney club.

Mr Saffron: Yes.

Did you speak to him? — I probably walked around and spoke to everyone.

The police officer who has spent eight years investigating Mrs Nielsen’s disappearance, Detective Sergeant Karl Arkins, was then re-called to allow final tendering of documents and to complete the evidence.

He was cross-examined by barrister Mr John Basten on information given to police on October 26, 1977, by Mr James Anderson, the former manager of the Carousel Club.

Mr Basten said Mr Anderson had stated on that occasion that he was in Surfers Paradise with a Mr Max Workingham on the day Mrs Nielsen disappeared.

Sergeant Arkins told Mr Basten that he had not heard Mr Workingham’s name before the inquest. Asked whether he had checked with the airlines if Mr Anderson had gone to Surfers Paradise with a Mr Workingham, Sergeant Arkins said he believed such a check had been made but was unable to be positive. He would inspect police records to see if such a check had been carried out.

Mr Basten said it was clearly critical where Mr Anderson was and “whether he had told you lies”. Sergeant Arkins agreed.

The inquest, before the City Coroner, Mr Wilson, SM, and a jury of six continues today.

Witness ordered to give names

SYDNEY, Monday. — Mr Justice Perrignon directed former Detective Sergeant Philip Arantz today to reveal the names of two CIB detectives to whom he spoke before publication of NSW crime figures in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr Arantz told the Crown Employees Appeal Board he would prefer not to divulge the names.

Inspector V. Taylor, for the Police Commissioner, said he did not want to involve innocent people, but this was the first time Mr Arantz had stated in evidence that he had mentioned the matter to the CIB detectives.

At the direction of the judge, who is chairman of the board, Mr Arantz said they were Detective-Sergeant Arkins and Detective Sergeant Rudgley.

Mr Arantz was being cross-examined in his appeal against dismissal from the police force last January for alleged misconduct and disobedience.