Woman’s Day Australia – August 26, 2019

W

ithitsbeautiful

windsweptbeaches

andtherustinghulks

ofderelictships

risingabovethewater,Stockton

hasa starkbeautyaboutit,but

therearedeep,darksecrets

hiddenbeneaththesurface.

It cametonational

prominencewhenpolicewere

forcedtobegresidentsto

speakupafterthebattered

andrapedbodyof14-year-old

schoolgirlLeighLeighwas

foundinthelonggrassofthe

town’sbeachin1989.

Andpolicemustbefeelinga

senseofdejavuastheyonce

againappealtotheresidents

ofthistownonthewrongside

oftheHunterRiverfromthe

cityofNewcastletohelpsolve

a newmurdermystery.

POLICEAPPEAL

“Standup,it’stimetostand

upforSteven,”urgesDetective

SergeantJeffLittle,whois

inchargeofStrikeForce

Kummari,whichis tasked

withfindingoutwhat

happenedtomissingman

StevenFenwick.

“Thepainoflosinga son

is life-changing.Forthose

whoknowwhathappened

toSteven,andwhereheis,

knowthis:theburdenof

knowledgechangesyourlife.

Cowardshidebehindsilence

whilestrongpeoplestandup

forothers.”

Althoughonlya kilometre

fromNewcastleacrossthe

water,Stocktonis 18kmby

road,andsomeofits 4000

residentshavelonghadan

isolated,siege-like,anti-

establishmentmentality.

It’s 30 yearssincethe

infamousmurderofinnocent

schoolgirlLeighLeigh,but

onceagainthesecretsof

Stocktonhavebeendriven

thesurfaceaspolicesearc

answersaboutSteven’sfa

MURDERCASE

Steven,33,wasreportedl

lastseenata sportingfiel

Stocktonbyhisgirlfriend

earlyhoursofJanuary 31

policenowsuspectthekn

drug user was murdered.

He was not reportedmi

until later on February1.

of his belongings, includi

phone, were found neart

southern end of Stockton

Beach, promptingauthori

tothinkStevenhadgonef

Murder detectivesare facing a wall ofsilence in a NSWtown

that is once again in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons

‘Cowardshide

behindsilence...

strongpeople

standup’

MM d d t tii ff i ll ff iill i NNSSWWt

THE AUSSIE TOWN THAT R

Missing

The disability pensioner’s

phone and clothes were

discovered near Stockton

Beach, which is notorious

for shipwrecks.

Steven was

last seen

at about

2.30am on

January 31.

Words: Dan Proudman. Pictures: Peter Lorimer.

g

anan early morningswim

38 WD

True

crime