‘Can’t be,’ man said on ‘sighting’ of missing wife: court

When a Sydney man was told that his missing wife had been spotted in public he replied, “It can’t be”, his murder trial has been told.

John Charles Giannasca has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Carmel Giannasca on or about January 12, 2002.

Mrs Giannasca was 33 at the time of her disappearance and her body has not been found.

Crown prosecutor Eric Balodis told a Supreme Court jury today that Mr Giannasca murdered his wife after she found out about claims that his father had sexually abused a girl.

The Crown argued that the girl spoke to Mrs Giannasca about the alleged sexual assault the night before she disappeared and that Mr Giannasca murdered her to protect his father.

Mr Balodis wrapped up his closing submission with evidence from Mrs Giannasca’s father, who said he passed on information from police that someone had spotted her in a car.

When the father told Mr Giannasca, he allegedly responded by saying: “It can’t be.”

Mr Balodis also said the accused was in financial stress and wanted to move his family into his parents’ home but his wife opposed the idea.

Mr Giannasca’s barrister David Dalton, SC, said the girl provided the information about the alleged abuse in a police interview a year after the woman disappeared.

Mr Dalton argued the alleged abuse took place after the woman disappeared.

He said the girl testified at the trial that she could not recall exactly when any abuse took place.

“Consider where the case may be without the evidence of [the girl],” Mr Dalton said.

The trial continues.

AAP

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