A man diagnosed as a chronic schizophrenic bashed and strangled a male friend on the outskirts of Dubbo on Wednesday night - eight hours after he had been released from a psychiatric unit, a court heard yesterday.
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Phillip John Pettigrove, 41, is charged with the murder of Stephen Rose, 45, who he is alleged to have bashed, choked and then suffocated with a plastic bag forced into his friend's throat.
The two men were travelling by car between Taree, on the mid north coast, and Cohuna in Victoria when they passed through Dubbo about 8pm.
Shortly after, the pair stopped on the side of the Newell Highway 25 kilometres south of Dubbo, where Mr Pettigrove is believed to have gone for a toilet break.
When he returned to the vehicle Mr Pettigrove attempted to break his friend's neck by grabbing and twisting it, police facts tendered to court allege.
Mr Pettigrove then repeatedly punched Mr Rose in the head before trying to choke him "several times".
"When this failed, the defendant pulled the victim from the motor vehicle and bashed his head into the wheel," the facts stated.
While Mr Rose was lying on his back Mr Pettigrove took a plastic bag and "forced it into his victim's throat until he was satisfied he was deceased".
Mr Pettigrove sat in the car for some time after the incident before hailing down a passing truck when it is claimed he told the driver: "I hit him with the car."
Police facts allege that Mr Pettigrove "made some admissions" after they arrived at the scene before he made "full and frank admissions" to the murder during later interviews at Dubbo police station.
Police discovered Mr Rose's body lying face up next to the open passenger side door of the car. His face was bloodied and covered by a heart-shaped pillow. Takeaway coffee cups were sitting on the dashboard of the station wagon and there were suitcases in the rear.
The police facts reveal Mr Pettigrove was released from a special care unit at Manning Hospital in Taree at 12pm on Wednesday.
Mr Rose had taken Mr Pettigrove to the hospital on Monday, and in the two days he spent there he was seen by a psychiatrist and diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia.
Mr Pettigrove appeared in court yesterday with swollen and bruised knuckles on his right hand, his long grey hair hanging about his shoulders as he mumbled to himself, rocking slightly backwards and forwards.
For part of the proceedings, he put his head down on the bench in front of him.
The court was told Mr Pettigrove had a significant hearing impairment.
After he was led into the courtroom his solicitor loudly explained to him: "You are in the courtroom now ... I am going to talk to the magistrate."
After Magistrate Paul MacMahon refused bail Mr Lamond told his client:" "I will talk to you again downstairs and explain what happened ... go with these men now," referring to the court sheriffs.
Mr Pettigrove will undergo a full psychiatric assessment before he appears by audio-visual link from Long Bay Jail on September 22.