Murder accused’s wounds were ‘self-inflicted’, court told

Stab wounds sustained by a man accused of murdering his wife were self-inflicted, a Home Office forensic pathologist told the Supreme Court yesterday.

Dr Brett Lockyer told the jury that the wounds on defendant Real Lishman’s chest were consistent with those of someone who had stabbed himself.

Mr Lishman, 43, faces one count of murder following the death of his wife Carolina Elizabeth Lishman, 32, in their home in Sir William Jackson Grove in November 2017.

He denies the charge and his lawyer claims he was acting out of self-defence.

Dr Lockyer was contacted by the Royal Gibraltar Police to carry out forensic pathology examinations on Mr Lishman and his wife following the violent incident.

Mrs Lishman died in hospital and Mr Lishman, who also sustained serious injuries, needed life-saving surgery in St Bernard’s hospital.

“The injuries sustained to the chest are consistent to those that are self-inflicted,” Dr Lockyer told the court.

He said the distribution of wounds on the defendant’s chest would have been “more widespread” had there been a “melee” between the two parties.

Christopher Finch, who appears for the defence, asked whether Dr Lockyer’s examination was “influenced” by the findings of the police investigation.

“Did you hear Mr Lishman’s daughter had reportedly said ‘Mummy stabbed Daddy, Daddy stabbed Mummy, then Daddy stabbed himself’?” Mr Finch asked.

Dr Lockyer admitted he was told “Daddy stabbed Mummy, then Daddy stabbed himself”.

He added: “If you are insinuating I was led on by the police, that is a serious allegation to make.”

“My duty is to the court.”

Dr Lockyer also talked through the 12 wounds sustained by Mrs Lishman.

He said the ones on her back and forearms indicated she was trying to “block” the assault.

The most serious wound was caused using “extreme force” and went through her breastbone and into her heart, adding: “This would have been fatal on its own.”

Dr Lockyer said Mrs Lishman could have suffered from “significant” damage caused by other wounds.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard Mr Lishman’s six-year old daughter had gone to her neighbour’s house “covered in blood” and “crying hysterically after witnessing the incident.

PC Catherine Rooke, an off-duty police officer who lived next door, contacted the police and, as she cared for the child, noticed a cut on her leg.

She told the court the child said her father had told her to stab herself.

However, DC Samira Mohammed yesterday read the entry from her pocket book where she wrote the injury to the child’s thigh was caused when she “tried to stop Daddy from stabbing himself.”

Ms Mohammed referred to her notes, based on what Ms Rooke told her the child had said.

She read: “I tried to stop Daddy from stabbing himself.”

“Blood got on top of me and Mummy is in the kitchen.”

“Daddy was stabbing himself, Mummy on the floor, Daddy on the floor.”

Ms Mohammed said she was not told that the child had claimed her father told her to stab herself.

The trial, which is being heard by Chief Justice Anthony Dudley, continues today and is expected to conclude next week.

Christian Rocca, the Director for Public Prosecutions, and Carl Ramagge appear for the Crown, while Leigh Debono appears for the defence together with Mr Finch.