A court has been informed that prosecutors have a “strong” case against a man accused of murder after the victim allegedly named him as the murderer.
48-year-old Conrad Peter Lardner is charged with killing 39-year-old David Vale on March 1 just before midnight on the NSW Mid North Coast.
When emergency personnel were dispatched to a location in South Kempsey, Vale passed away while receiving medical attention.
At a residence in Airds where several objects important to the investigation were taken by police, Lardner was detained on Wednesday.
He appeared at Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday.
Defense attorney Isabel Attwool said in her bail application that the circumstantial evidence against Lardner was thin and was supported by “unreliable” witnesses.
Police prosecutor Robert Trethewey disagreed, stating that there was a “extraordinarily strong case” to be made for the suspected murder.
He informed the court, “There is a dying declaration by the deceased… the deceased names the accused.”
According to Trethewey, Lardner was “principally responsible” for the murder and had a “direct involvement” in it.
The events leading up to the alleged incident were also supported by numerous witnesses and CCTV evidence, Magistrate Rana Daher was informed.
The attack’s weapon has not yet been located.
Lardner had diabetes and asthma, and Attwool claimed that he should be released on bail since he wouldn’t be able to get his medications in jail.
She said that as an Aboriginal man, he would be at “potential risk of harm” while incarcerated.
Daher rejected these justifications and denied the bail request.
Supporting him in court, Lardner’s family waved as he appeared through video link wearing a cream-colored hoodie and shouted “love you” as the session ended.
Outside of court, his relatives declined to speak with media.
Additionally detained in West Kempsey, Leearna Nicole Davis, 31, was charged with accessory to murder.
On Thursday, she appeared at Kempsey Local Court and was also denied bail.
Davis will next appear on July 19, while Lardner will appear before Kempsey Court on July 21.
