10 Dec 2013

Sons offered money to kill husband, court told

9:18 pm on 10 December 2013

Evidence has been heard at the trial of a woman accused of poisoning her husband that she offered two of her sons money to kill him.

Helen Milner is on trial at the High Court in Christchurch on one charge of murder and two of attempted murder following the death of Philip Nisbet in 2009 from what the Crown says was an overdose of Phenergan, an antihistamine that he was allergic to.

The jury has already heard evidence from one of Mrs Milner's sons from a previous marriage, Adam Kearns, that she offered him $20,000 to help her kill her husband.

On Tuesday his older brother, Gregory Kearns, took to the witness box and said the same offer was made to him.

Mr Kearns said his 50-year-old mother also once asked him if the herbal high BZP would cause her husband to crash his truck.

Earlier, the daughter-in-law of Helen Milner said the accused would openly talk about wanting to kill Mr Nisbet using Phenergan.

Under questioning from Crown lawyer Brent Stanaway, Kasey Woodstock said that Mrs Milner would frequently talk about wanting to get rid of Mr Nisbet, 47, by using it.

The court was told that on one occasion, Mrs Milner said she would need to get twice as much of it because the first amount had not worked.

Ms Woodstock said Mrs Milner visited her three days before Philip Nisbet died, wanting to know where she could purchase more of the drug.

She also told the court that the accused offered a share of Mr Nisbet's $250,000 life insurance policy if she and her son organised a hitman for $5000. Ms Woodstock said they laughed off the request.

Ms Woodstock said Mrs Milner would regularly make disparaging comments about Mr Nisbet behind his back, but would act affectionately towards him when together.

Former wives give evidence

Two former wives of Philip Nisbet told the court there is no way he would have killed himself.

His first wife, Vicky Andrews, said Helen Milner showed her and her son an apparent suicide letter left by Mr Nisbet. She told the court she knew immediately that the hand-written signature was Mr Nisbet's and her son agreed.

Second wife Karen Porter said she had thought the worst of Mrs Milner since she first met her and there was no way Mr Nisbet would have overdosed as she claims.

Further Crown witnesses are due to be called on Wednesday, with the defence likely to begin its case next week.