Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Qld murder accused says he’s no saint
A Gold Coast man on trial for murdering his wife says he had sex with some people he helped financially but it wasn’t a condition of his philanthropy.
September 3, 2019
A Gold Coast businessman accused of murdering his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce row insists he’s no saint nor Superman and couldn’t have sex with everyone who offered it to him.
Novy Chardon, 34, went missing on February 6, 2013 and her body has never been found.
The same day her husband, John William Chardon, now 72, received a letter from divorce lawyers saying she wanted half of all his assets and would allow him access to their two children.
Chardon is fighting a murder charge in a jury trial in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.
In response to allegations raised during the trial, Charon denied demanding sexual favours from people in the Philippines in return for helping them financially.
“I’m no saint, but I never had a conditional thing with any of the people I sponsor,” he said.
“I used to get offered but I would knock a lot back because I am not bloody Superman, but there was some, yes.”
Chardon has told the jury he was a philanthropist who had been helping students pay university fees since 1998.
He said his money helped with housing or medicine.
The court has heard Chardon told police that when he woke up on February 7 his wife was gone. He suggested she might have sold $70,000 worth of jewellery to fund her departure.
However, investigators found Ms Chardon’s passport and she hasn’t used her bank accounts or social media accounts since she want missing.
The trial continues on Tuesday.