When Love is Blind

Desmond Campbell was found guilty of killing his new bride by pushing her over a cliff. On the 18th May 2010, after a 4 week trial, a Sydney jury convicted the 52 year old of murder. He took her camping, and pitched the tent conveniently close to the edge of a cliff and told police that she had fallen to her death when she went to the toilet during the night. The Crown said that she was pushed. It's hard to believe that he expected people to believe such a ridiculous story.

Desmond Campbell liked women and women liked him - he had other girlfriends during his short marriage to Janet. Crown Prosecutor told the court that Janet Campbell was "worth more to her husband dead than alive" because he needed her money to pay off his debts. Janet fell passionately in love with Campbell when they met - she was a widow who had inherited property worth more than $500,000 from her late husband. She was so enamoured, she bought a house at Otford near the National Park, away from her family and friends in Deniliquin. The court heard that one of Campbell's girlfriends stayed with him at the Otford home bought by his wife and moved out the day before Janet moved in. He also posted a profile on the internet dating site PSVP immediately after her death, did not go to her funeral and locked her family out of the house when they drove from Deniliquin to collect her things.

Another former girlfriend June Ingham, said she had to sue Campbell to get back some of the money she had once given him to buy a house.

Campbell's defence counsel Sean Hughes conceded Campbell might be regarded as a "philanderer" but reminded the jury of the need to "give him a fair go" and judge him according to the evidence. "He's not on trial for being a philanderer - he's on trial for murder."

The victim's brother, Kevin Neander, said he always knew Campbell was guilty. "We had suspicions about him before he ever pushed Jenny off the cliff. We tried to warn her but she was madly in love with him and she just couldn't see what the man was like. Both my sisters, Therese and Mary got into Jenny's ear but she was just besotted by him. She just thought he was the man. She couldn't see it, she said everyone's entitled to a second chance. Love is a powerful thing, love is blind they say".

Campbell did not give evidence at his trial and showed little emotion. Only once did he break down when he heard a tape of his police interview which was played to the jury. In it he described how he used a rope from his backpack to climb down the cliff and find his wife's body. "It looked like she was sitting in a chair but she was on the rocks" he said. He also told police Ms Campbell's family were "controlling" and interfered in his marriage.

Sentencing submissions begin today, 23rd July, 2010