A woman found with mysterious and fatal head injuries was “terrified” of her former partner, an inquest into her death has been told.
Elizabeth Britton was found in her Pottsville home, in northern NSW, on October 10, 2020, with blunt force head injuries.
The injuries initially left her conscious but unable to speak and with very limited faculties.
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Despite efforts to reduce pressure on her brain, she died in hospital several weeks later.
The inquest beginning in Lismore today will probe the potential involvement in her death of two persons of interest, including her former partner Anthony Siganto.
It will also explore the possibility that Britton’s injuries were the result of an accident or fall.
Lawyer acting on behalf of Britton’s family, Luke Geary, told the coroners court: “Liz had a very good reason to be and was … terrified of Tony Siganto”.
Roughly a week-and-a-half before Britton’s death, Siganto had been involved in an altercation with one of her neighbours, Guenther Puntingham.
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When police were called to deal with that incident, Britton told them Siganto had made a threat that if she spoke to the police he would kill her, the court was told.
Britton’s mother Valerie told the inquest her daughter later said the incident stemmed from Siganto’s jealousy.
“She told me that Tony had gone round to Guenther’s and ripped the fly screen off,” Valerie Britton said.
“She thought Tony was jealous. She thought that Tony thought she was having an affair with Guenther.”
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A witness, who told police she saw Siganto and Britton together on the day before she suffered her fatal injuries, is expected to appear at the inquest
The court was told today that the witness said she looked out her window to the balcony of Saganto’s Bogangar unit and saw Britton with her back to the railing, with Siganto pushing her backwards with his hands on her shoulder and shouting.
In outlining the case, counsel assisting Philip Hogan said Britton had a history of substance abuse which at the time of her death was being treated with a daily dose of the synthetic opioid, OxyContin.
“It’s no secret that she drank too much for her own good and she battled with other addictions,” Hogan said.
“She didn’t do things by halves, she was strong-willed and lived by her own rules.”
At the conclusion of the inquest, Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes will consider the possibility of recommending charges be brought by prosecutors against any person.
The inquest continues.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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