A hearing-impaired witness giving evidence into the alleged stabbing murder of a Canberra woman last year has spoken of hearing a terrible, high-pitched scream that was ''like something you'd hear on a horror movie''.
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Aleksander Vojneski, 29, is charged with the murder of carer and mother of three Paula Conlon, 30, in a house in Macgregor in March.
Ms Conlon - who became an Australian citizen more than five years ago after moving from Britain - was found dead with multiple stab wounds.
Vojneski and Ms Conlon were believed to be in a relationship.
The accused killer appeared before the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday morning for a short committal hearing.
One witness, a neighbour, was cross-examined over claims he heard a ''terrible'' scream, followed immediately by the sounds of a car door shutting and a vehicle being driven away.
The court heard the witness was working on his car in his garage, when he heard a woman scream for three seconds.
He stopped his work, he said, and three to four seconds later he heard a car door shut, and the sound of a car leaving.
The witness did not go outside or attempt to investigate further, the court heard.
Defence barrister Jack Pappas questioned the weakness of the witness's hearing ability.
The witness was 60 per cent deaf in both ears, and had used hearing aids since the age of five, the court heard.
In a ploy to test his hearing, Mr Pappas asked questions of the witness while looking down at the bar table, making lip reading difficult.
The witness sat still for several seconds and appeared unaware he had been asked a question.
He later admitted he was unable to hear the defence barrister's questions.
He said the car door wasn't slammed, and the car did not sound like it sped off, with no screeching of tyres or revving of the engine.
No more witnesses will be cross-examined in the committal hearing.
The committal hearing is expected to finish on Tuesday afternoon.
Ms Conlon's mother is expected to travel from Britain to be in the courtroom as Vojneski is committed to stand trial for murder in the ACT Supreme Court.
