Backpackers killer 'probably scrawled confession'

A confession written on a picnic table was likely to have been penned by the man accused of murdering British backpacker Caroline Stuttle, an Australian court has heard.

Police handwriting expert Somapala Hettiarachchi compared the message scrawled in dark felt pen with letters written by Ian Douglas Previte, who is charged with Ms Stuttle's murder on April 10, 2002.

Mr Hettiarachchi told Bundaberg Magistrate's Court in Queensland there were many similarities between Previte's handwriting and the picnic table message which read: "I Throw The girl of The Brige I am sorry.".

However, under cross-examination by defence barrister Denis Lynch, Mr Hettiarachchi conceded he could not definitely say the writing was Previte's.

The committal hearing which began last September was adjourned for a second time today amid allegations police had pressured prisoners into giving evidence against Previte in return for positive parole recommendations.

Two inmates gave evidence last September at the beginning of the hearing that Previte had confessed the killing to them while they were all in jail in Rockhampton in central Queensland.

The court was told one of them had written to the Crime and Misconduct Commission after his parole application was unsuccessful and complained police had not kept their end of the deal.

Mr Lynch said the letter claimed a deal had been struck over evidence in return for favourable parole recommendations. He asked the court for an adjournment to allow him to further cross-examine the prisoners about information contained in the letter.

Police prosecutor Warren Murdock told the court one inmate had complained to the CMC after his parole was rejected, but later retracted the allegations.

Magistrate Barry Barrett adjourned the hearing until January 28. He said it would be unfair not to give the defence further opportunity to cross-examine the two prisoners.