Murder victim gagged with own underpants, court hears
A man found dead on a Newcastle cricket field was bashed, hog-tied with rope, then gagged with his own underpants, court documents allege.
Anthony Dent was arrested earlier this week and has been charged with murdering Tony O’Grady, but details of the alleged attack have only emerged after another man, Sidney Regan, faced court charged with concealing a serious offence, Fairfax reports.
Police documents tendered in court allege Mr O'Grady had been lured to Wickham Park on March 26 undert the pretence of a party, but as he walked across Thomas Armstrong Oval he was allegedly bashed, tied up and gagged with his own underpants.
They also allege advice received from forensic pathologists was that Mr O'Grady would have likely survived the assault if he had received ‘timely medical attention’, but being tied up and gagged so tightly had caused him to choke to death, Fairfax reports.
The court heard Mr Dent’s DNA profile had matched that of one lifted from blood on Mr O’Grady’s underpants, the rope used to tie him up and a pair of shorts found underneath the victim.
Mr O’Grady was seen on CCTV buying alcohol in Hamilton earlier in the evening, before he was allegedly attacked while walking across the park.
The documents allege a post-mortem found Mr O’Grady had suffered multiple blows to the head and asphyxiation from the gag placed in his mouth.
Mr O’Grady’s bank card was stolen, and it is alleged that both Mr Dent and Mr Regan tried to use the bank card soon afterwards.
It is alleged that Mr Regan failed to tell police he was with Mr Dent on the night of the attack.
Mr Dent was arrested after being placed on the state’s most wanted list after an incident at an anti-corruption hearing where serial pest Peter Hore, who was the victim’s housemate, stormed the building screaming about his murdered housemate.
