The second week of the murder trial of slain Tamworth highway patrolman David Rixon has wrapped up with a final day which saw at least seven local police officers take the stand to give evidence.
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They appeared on Thursday, with no trial sitting yesterday, but it is due to resume on Monday.
More than a dozen witnesses have now taken the stand for the trial of accused murderer 49-year-old Michael Allan Jacobs.
Next week the trial will take a different course as the jury turns its focus to the scene of the shooting.
Justice Richard Button, Crown prosecutor Pat Barrett, Jacobs’ defence barrister, Tim Hoyle SC, and the jury are expected to visit the site, however Justice Button has issued restrictions in relation to approaching or recording the court party, while they’re out of the courtroom.
It’s been an emotional week for both Rixon’s family and his colleagues and other witnesses as evidence was presented in the NSW Supreme Court detailing the final chapter of Senior Constable Rixon’s life.
Acting Oxley Commander Inspector Jeff Budd, Inspector Kylie Endemi, the duty officer on the day of the shooting who took charge of the murder scene, Sergeant Paul Kay, Constable Hayley Simshauser and officers Gavin Morris and Brent Robinson all took the witness stand on Thursday before the trial concluded for another week.
The jury also heard from the father of Terrance “Terry” Price, who Jacobs’ had first named for the shooting when officers rushed to the scene on that fateful day over 12 months ago.
Evidence on Thursday centred around the first emergency responses after the shooting and the police search for the gunman.
Court proceedings took evidence from Ian Price, Terry Price’s father, as well as police, including Inspector Jeff Budd.
They recounted actions when police had swooped on another West Tamworth house in a search for Mr Price.
Jacobs has pleaded not guilty to murdering Senior Constable Rixon on March 2 last year in Lorraine St, West Tamworth when he was pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
The jury had been told security footage taken from a service station earlier in the morning would show there was no one else in Jacobs’ car.
The final moments of Senior Constable Rixon’s life were played to the court this week with the jury viewing footage from the officer’s highway patrol car.
The video lasted about 33 seconds and showed the court the route the highway patrol officer took when he followed the Holden Statesman to a block of flats in Lorraine St.
Senior Constable Rixon could be heard getting out of his car before telling the driver he would be subjected to a roadside breath test, before several shots rang out
Senior Constable Lauren McNeice and Senior Constable Brock Freeman were amoung the first to arrive in Lorraine St after the shooting.
Both officers tried to resuscitate Senior Constable Rixon before Ambulance paramedics arrived.
They each took the stand this week recounting the moments of what happened when they arrived on scene.
Long-time Tamworth resident Cheryl Carpenter, who was lying in bed at about 8am when she heard a car drive up on the gutter and three loud gunshots, told the court what she heard and saw that morning.
A service station attendant who served Jacobs before he was pulled over by Senior Constable Rixon also gave evidence this week.
Justice Richard Button adjourned the trial late on Thursday to next week because of unlisted reasons.
A number of witnesses from Tamworth are expected to give evidence next week.
The trial continues on Monday.
