Robert Black Farmer The Australian 21 March 2007

21 MARCH 2007

John Stapleton

A man accused of bashing Sydney teenager Lauren Huxley, binding her with electrical chord, dousing her in petrol and leaving her for dead in a burning garage has been committed to stand trial.

The five charges against Robert Black Farmer which arose the attack included  causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.

The Parramatta Local Court heard evidence that DNA material taken from a red petrol can found at the crime scene had only a one in 76 million chance of not being that of Mr Farmer. Swabs taken from the doorknob of Ms Huxley's home and from inside the house was also likely to be Mr Farmer's.

A report from Analytical laboratories at Lidcombe recorded that while no semen had been detected in swabs taken from a bedrail, there was fewer than a one in 10 billion chance that the DNA profile from material taken from the rail matched another person besides Mr Farmer.

The case attracted massive media attention late 2005.  Ms Huxley spent 198 days in hospital recovering from the attack.

Magistrate Paula Russell said she was satisfied there was sufficient evidence that a well-briefed jury would find Mr Farmer guilty of attempted murder of Ms Huxley.

Mr Farmer did not seek to make any submissions or call any witnesses. He sat quietly taking notes throughout yesterday's proceedings.

Her Honour said she was satisfied there was evidence Mr Farmer had intended to cause grievous bodily harm and had attempted to murder Lauren Huxley  and had committed the offence of maliciously damaging property with the intent of endangering the life of Lauren Huxley and detaining her with intent of gaining sexual gratification.

Mr Farmer was committed for trial at the Parramatta District Court on the 13th April.

In evidence before the court his girlfriend Catharine(correct) Beverley said she had received a number of phone calls from Mr Farmer on the day and that he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol. She said Mr Farmer had sounded ``happy and jovial.''

Mr Farmer came back to see his girlfriend after she had finished work in the afternoon. ``He seemed fine, perhaps overnice. I put that down to the beers.''

That night he told his mother Gail Farmer that he just wanted to go to sleep and not wake up. The family subsequently listed Mr Farmer as missing.

An interview with Detective David Shaw recorded that after his arrest Mr Farmer said: ``I know you think it is me because of the suicide note I left at mum's and me burns, but I don't know anything about it.''

At Campbelltown Police Station Mr Farmer had initially refused the services of a solicitor and refused to answer questions.

``I am not signing anything, I am not doing nothing,'' he said.

Constable Alison Beechey recorded that on arriving at the crime scene: ``I heard the female moaning and I could hear a gurgling sound each time she breathed. Her face was extremely swollen and covered in blood, her hair was also completely covered in blood.''