Jockey murder trial: Gregorwski confirms drug use on the night before girlfriend’s death

THE trial of Graham Gregorwski, the jockey boyfriend of the late Janet Scott, who is facing murder charges relating to her death, continued this week in the Durban High Court.  

The new defence counsel, Adv Mashall Zulu, put his client on the stand to describe the events leading up to the death of the 54-year-old woman in October 2016.

On Tuesday morning Gregorwski was guided by his counsel as he relayed in his own words, what took place on the day before Scott was found dead in their cottage in Shongweni.

The first session involved a painstaking account of the entire day before the morning when the battered body of Scott was found in bed beside the accused by a neighbour.

For the first time since the beginning of the trial, the defendant described how he had bought and consumed drugs, including crystal meth and other intoxicants, with others at the cottage.

The accused told the court that he and others consumed drugs and drank wine while Scott prepared dinner.

He told the court Scott became emotional after which he and others decided to leave and go to a pub, leaving Scott behind at the cottage.

The accused described how, whilst at the pub he was tapped on the shoulder by an unknown man, who then gestured to him to go outside.

He said he was attacked and kicked by men he did not know before losing consciousness and soiling himself.

Next he relayed to the court that he ran back home fearing for his life.  He described how he kept dropping into bushes beside the road each time a car passed him.

Adv Zulu then led the accused in his recounting of how he had been trying to wash his face after being let into the cottage by Scott who had been in the shower when he returned home.

“I was standing, waiting for her to stop showering but keeping an eye on the driveway,” he said later when, after a short break for tea, he was cross examined by state prosecutor Adv Krishen Shah who lost his patience with the accused on more than one occasion before the court adjourned for lunch.

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Gregorwski said he pushed Scott away from him while he was in the bathroom at the basin.  “I eventually had to push her back with my forearms and my palms on her chest before I was able to close the door,” he said. 

Gregorwski then described how he had taken a shower because during the assault he had experienced at the pub he defecated on himself shortly before losing consciousness.  The testimony of the accused continued after the first short break in proceedings during which time Adv Zulu led the accused to describe the events leading up to the morning when a neighbour arrived and found him trying to cut himself after attempting to hang himself twice.

Cross examination

State prosecutor Adv Shah expressed some incredulity at the testimony which had been presented by the accused from the stand and at one point said, “Mr Gregorwski, we can’t believe anything you say it seems,” when he pointed out that some of the narrative differed from that which had been presented by witnesses earlier in the trial.

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The case continued at 2pm for the afternoon session where Adv Shan will cross examined the accused about the injuries Scott sustained which were described previously by the chief medical examination as among the worst he had seen on a single victim before. 

Court adjourned shortly before 4pm and will continue this week.

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