Wood trial: Model's dad denies depression claim

Updated August 29, 2008 12:35:00

The Caroline Byrne murder trial has heard she was depressed before her death and that her mother, who also suffered depression, had committed suicide.

Gordon Wood, 45, has pleaded not guilty to throwing his girlfriend Caroline Byrne off The Gap in Sydney's east in 1995.

The Crown is arguing he had a motive to kill her because she knew too much about the business affairs of his employer, the late stockbroker Rene Rivkin.

Under cross-examination by Gordon Wood's lawyer, Caroline Byrne's father Anthony denied his daughter was depressed or unhappy with her job before her death.

He said his wife had committed suicide because she became depressed after having a breast enlargement operation that went wrong.

Anthony Byrne said his wife suffered horrendous complications from the operation, which meant she suffered for 10 to 12 years of her life.

Earlier, Mr Byrne told the court his daughter's close friend Andrew Blanchette told him he had heard rumours that Gordon Wood and his employer Rene Rivkin were gay.

But Mr Byrne said he thought Andrew Blanchette had made the comment because he had very strong feelings for his daughter.

The trial continues.

Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, crime, murder-and-manslaughter, watsons-bay-2030, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted August 29, 2008 11:18:00