Susan Neill-Fraser: Australia; Last -ditch legal bid fro freedom begins in Hobart Supreme Court, ABC News reports in story headed: "Key witness says she made a false statement out of fear."..." She must convince Justice Michael Brett that there is fresh and compelling evidence to warrant a retrial. But the appeal's first witness Meaghan Vass — who was a homeless teenager at the time of the murder — said a statement she made that appeared to be helpful to Neill-Fraser's case was false. In April this year, Ms Vass, 24, signed a statutory declaration saying she was on the boat co-owned by Neill-Fraser and Mr Chappell in 2009. Her statement said Neill-Fraser was not aboard the boat. Also, the court heard Ms Vass's statement read: "I was on the Four Winds yacht and I was with people." Today, she said the entire statement was made up and she signed it out of fear. "I was threatened to be put in the boot of the car over that statement," she said. "I was too f**king scared. It is not true. I was made to sign it out of fear. "This is just something that Karen Keefe has made up." Karen Patricia Nancy Keefe has been charged with corrupting a witness and perverting the course of justice. Ms Vass repeatedly told the court she did not remember anything about the night of the murder and she did not know Neill-Fraser or Bob Chappell. "As far as I'm concerned this occasion doesn't exist," she said. "I can't remember. I don't know these people [Sue and Bob]." No body or weapon have ever been found. Neill-Fraser has always maintained her innocence and the case has attracted a high level of public interest, the story featuring as a documentary, a play and a book."

GIST: "A key witness to the appeal bid of convicted murderer Sue Neill-Fraser said she was threatened into making a statement that cast doubt over Neill-Fraser's guilt. Neill-Fraser, 62, was jailed in 2010 for 23 years for murdering her partner, radiation physicist Bob Chappell, on board the yacht the Four Winds on Australia Day 2009. After seven years and multiple appeals, Neill-Fraser launched her last-ditch legal bid for freedom today in the Hobart Supreme Court. She must convince Justice Michael Brett that there is fresh and compelling evidence to warrant a retrial. But the appeal's first witness Meaghan Vass — who was a homeless teenager at the time of the murder — said a statement she made that appeared to be helpful to Neill-Fraser's case was false. In April this year, Ms Vass, 24, signed a statutory declaration saying she was on the boat co-owned by Neill-Fraser and Mr Chappell in 2009. Her statement said Neill-Fraser was not aboard the boat. Also, the court heard Ms Vass's statement read: "I was on the Four Winds yacht and I was with people." Today, she said the entire statement was made up and she signed it out of fear. "I was threatened to be put in the boot of the car over that statement," she said. "I was too f**king scared. It is not true. I was made to sign it out of fear. "This is just something that Karen Keefe has made up." Karen Patricia Nancy Keefe has been charged with corrupting a witness and perverting the course of justice. Ms Vass repeatedly told the court she did not remember anything about the night of the murder and she did not know Neill-Fraser or Bob Chappell. "As far as I'm concerned this occasion doesn't exist," she said. "I can't remember. I don't know these people [Sue and Bob]." No body or weapon have ever been found. Neill-Fraser has always maintained her innocence and the case has attracted a high level of public interest, the story featuring as a documentary, a play and a book. One prominent lawyer has likened Neill-Fraser's plight to that of Lindy Chamberlain. Neill-Fraser has exhausted all regular avenues of appeal but has a final chance under new fresh and compelling evidence legislation.

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