Defence lawyers in the Australian Outback hearing into the death of Briton Peter Falconio today attacked the credibility of Joanne Lees claiming she was having another, perhaps secret, relationship when her boyfriend disappeared three years ago.
Ms Lees today returned to the witness stand in Darwin to resume evidence in the committal hearing for Bradley John Murdoch (45) the man accused of the British tourist's murder.
Calm and composed, Ms Lees, from Brighton, was again asked to recount the events of the night in July 2001 when Mr Falconio, her boyfriend of six years, disappeared beside a remote Northern Territory road.
Cross-examined for 90 minutes by Murdoch's lawyer Mr Grant Algie, Ms Lees answered most questions with one word.
Occasionally her composure faltered as she replied with a curt "yes" to some of the questions.
Mr Algie asked MS Lees several times about her relationship with the missing 28-year-old backpacker, and she replied that the couple had got on well together.
However, he later accused Ms Lees of having a second secret e-mail account while touring Australia, and of writing to someone who had a fake name "Steph".
Ms Lees denied the e-mail account was secret and said she did not know who Steph was, but then admitted Steph was a false name for a man she had e-mailed named Nick.
"Who is Nick?," Mr Algie asked.
"A friend," she replied.
"A friend from Sydney with whom you had a relationship?" Mr Algie asked.
"No," Ms Lees replied.
The questioning was halted after prosecutor Mr Rex Wild, QC, successfully objected, questioning its relevance.
"The relationship as between this witness and Mr Falconio is obviously relevant in this case," Mr Algie said.
"I have reason to believe there was another relationship, either known or unknown to Mr Falconio at the time.
"It may be highly relevant at the end of the day as to the credibility of this witness."
But the most interesting evidence of the day may have been held in secret.
Magistrate Alasdair McGregor took the unusual step of closing the court to the public and media for about half an hour of Ms Lees' testimony.
"I'm concerned that if this evidence was able to be published then there could be a catastrophic consequence ... for a fair trial within this small town," Mr McGregor said.
AP