3mm difference fatal for victim

A FEW millimetres was the difference between life and death for Sheila Ann Hicks, a jury was told yesterday.

Pathologist Dr Nigel Buxton said a tip of a knife punctured her aorta by just 3mm, causing her to bleed to death.

He said had it not perforated the artery she would have survived the wound, which entered from the right side of her back in a vertical motion towards her spine.

The murder weapon, believed to be a black-handled steak knife, did not come in contact with the ribcage.

Her partner, Shannon Michael Neale, 33, has been charged with her murder, on November 24, 2008 at a Rice Street home in North Rockhampton. He has pleaded not guilty.

Dr Buxton, who performed the autopsy on Ms Hicks, yesterday gave evidence during day five of a trial in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton.

He said a moderate amount of force would have been needed to cause the wound to Ms Hicks.

He said there were two possible ways the knife entered her body.

“One is holding it against the shirt and pushing it to enter. That situation needs a lot of force required to break through the skin. Once through it would slide in unopposed and the person holding it may be surprised at how quickly and then a sudden impact,” Dr Buxton said.

“It depends on how the knife was held but that sudden impact could lead to an unexpected cut on the thumb. The second mechanism is if the knife was thrust with a more active stab, which would take more force.”

The jury was shown a picture of a man’s thumb with a superficial cut on it.

The jury is expected to begin deliberations today on a verdict.