NORFOLK ISLAND - Janelle Patton appeared to have struggled with her attacker in a bid to defend herself before she was killed, a Norfolk Island court was told today.
The evidence was given by pathologist Allan Cala, who examined Ms Patton's body three days after it was foundat an island picnic spot on March 31, 2002.
New Zealand chef Glenn McNeill has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Patton, a 29-year-old from Sydney.
Testifying for the second day at McNeill's Supreme Court trial, Dr Cala described a V-shaped stab wound which had penetrated Ms Patton's lung.
It would have been a "very debilitating" injury, causing immediate blood loss and possibly some collapse of the lung, he said.
Dr Cala favoured the likelihood that the wound was sustained towards the end of the attack.
"If this had been inflicted earlier on, I think ... there would have been immediate debilitation in quite a severe way," he told the trial.
He said there may have been "fairly rapid loss of consciousness, such that I don't think Ms Patton would have been able to physically put up the struggle that, to me, it appeared that she's put up ... to fend off this weapon and basically defend herself".
"So, I favour this occurring later on in the attack.
"I'm not saying it was the very last thing -- it may have been for all I know -- but perhaps (it happened) in the latter third of the attack."
