Killing accused silent over Norfolk Island job

Glenn McNeill

Friends and colleagues of Nelson chef Glenn McNeill are stunned by his arrest in connection with a four-year-old murder mystery.

The 28-year-old is known as a doting family man who told people he had once worked on Norfolk Island but never spoke of his time there.

Australian police want McNeill extradited to the island to face prosecution over the killing of Sydney woman Janelle Patton in March 2002.

McNeill appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday as the Crown launched extradition proceedings.

He spent just a few minutes in the dock as his lawyer, Garry Barkle, sought an adjournment until next Tuesday. He did not seek bail and did not ask for name suppression.

Within the packed courtroom were people connected to McNeill and Ms Patton.

His partner, Shelly; her uncle; and McNeill's sister were among a small family group who sat in the public gallery holding hands and wiping away tears.

Detective Sergeant Bob Peters, the Australian officer who led the murder investigation, was also in court.

Australian police said McNeill was on the island on a temporary permit at the time of Ms Patton's death. His arrest followed a recent DNA breakthrough in the case.

Norfolk Chief Minister Geoff Gardner said he was shocked to learn of the arrest of O'Neill, who worked as a chef in his former restaurant, Cafe Pacifica. But he insisted the New Zealander would receive a fair trial in the self-governing territory, despite the close-knit nature of the 2000-strong community.

McNeill began working for Mr Gardner and his wife at the cafe they ran inside their Daa Garden Centre in April 2001. But he quit in early December that year so he could travel home to New Zealand to marry his fiancee.

The couple returned to Norfolk Island early in 2002, with McNeill taking jobs at Hillies Restaurant and the Hill Crest Hotel. They were still living and working on the island when Ms Patton was found murdered on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002.

Mr Gardner, who also knew Ms Patton, described McNeill as an excellent employee.

Friends say McNeill has lived a quiet life in Nelson and is known as a family man who adores his two children, a girl aged 3 and a baby boy, and partner Shelly. He is also known as a man who got himself into financial difficulties, which those close to him believe led to a bout of depression at the end of last year.

A close friend who saw McNeill at the beginning of the week said he seemed to be in better spirits, having taken a new job at Cafe Affair in the central city.

The friend, who did not want to be named because she still has contact with McNeill's family, knew he had worked as a chef on Norfolk but said he never talked about his time in the Australian territory.

The friend said McNeill's arrest had come as a "huge shock" to people who knew him.

"I certainly couldn't pick him doing something like that, but until you have all the evidence it's hard to comment. I would not have picked that at all."

She said McNeill was a "family man" who was good at his job.

He was employed as sous chef at The Honest Lawyer, near Nelson Airport, in May 2004. Owner John Wheeler said McNeill was a good chef but left in November that year to pursue a job further south to "earn some money. He was in debt."

He was away four to five months and then returned to The Honest Lawyer and his old job. Mr Wheeler said he had no complaints about McNeill's work until last November, when he began taking days off, often calling in sick at the last minute.

Mr Wheeler last saw McNeill in December, when his employee confronted him over his wages.

McNeill went to police and laid a complaint of assault against his former boss.

Police visited Mr Wheeler just before Christmas, but after interviewing him, they did not take the matter any further.

One of McNeill's neighbours in the suburb of Stoke was lost for words when told he had been arrested. She described the family as "good people" and said McNeill spent a lot of time gardening and took his daughter to the park every day.

The family yesterday retreated to the home of McNeill's parents in Richmond. They had no comment.

- Additional reporting AAP