NSW: Teenager troubled before alleged murder attempt - court

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2008
NSW: Teenager troubled before alleged murder attempt - court

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP - Sydney woman Lauren Huxley appeared to be troubled in the fortnight
before she was attacked, a classmate has told the NSW Supreme Court.

Ms Huxley, 21, suffered permanent brain damage and spent 23 days on life support after
she was savagely beaten and left for dead in her home in the western suburb of Northmead
in November 2005.

The marketing student, who was 18 at the time, was doused in petrol and the house was set alight.

Robert Black Farmer, 39, also of Northmead, is standing trial for her attempted murder and arson.

Detective senior constable Steve Sayers told the court today none of the fingerprints
found in the Huxley home matched Farmer's, including prints on the back gate and door
which remained unidentified.

Ms Huxley's TAFE classmate Reema Wehbe said the teenager had appeared particularly
troubled in the fortnight before the attack.

"I just thought there was something a little wrong, she seemed a little more lost than
usual," Ms Wehbe told the court.

When she had asked Ms Huxley if anything was bothering her, she had replied, "No, I'm fine".

"Maybe I'm just reading her wrong," Ms Wehbe told the court.

Ms Huxley was a quiet, well-liked student who generally seemed happy but volunteered
little information about herself, Ms Wehbe said.

She could not recall Lauren saying anything that might have indicated why she had been
attacked, she said.

"I only know that she told us that she was going home to do her assignments that night."

The trial continues before Justice Peter Hall.

AAP ajc/tdb/wjf/maur/bwl

KEYWORD: FARMER

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