A Charnwood mother charged with fatally stabbing another woman in front of both their children had a long-running feud with her victim, a court was told yesterday.
Rebecca Massey, 35, is charged with murdering Elizabeth Booshand, 43, of Dunlop, outside a Charnwood takeaway shop last month, after what witnesses described as a verbal and physical altercation between the pair.
The stabbing allegedly occurred in front of Ms Booshand's husband and eight-year-old daughter, and Massey's boyfriend and eight-year-old son, as well as several other witnesses.
The alleged murder weapon has not yet been found, but is believed to be a knife. An autopsy found Ms Booshand died from a stab wound to the heart, and she also had several small lacerations.
During a bail application in the ACT Supreme Court yesterday, case officer Senior Constable Nick Maguire said Massey had a long history of violent behaviour, with eight assault convictions and three offences involving knives.
Police had trouble getting statements from some witnesses who feared retribution from Massey.
''The level of infamy associated with Ms Massey in the ACT community has caused us a number of problems with our investigation,'' the officer said.
''There's a significant level of fear among people we are approaching.''
Chief Justice Terence Higgins declined to grant Massey bail. A police statement of facts tendered in court alleged the pair had a history of altercations. Massey's partner, Michael Marshall, told police she had previously complained that Ms Booshand picked on her.
Ms Booshand was still conscious in the ambulance, where she was heard to say, ''I'm going to f---ing kill her.'' She died at the Canberra Hospital that night.
Massey has pleaded not guilty to murder and is due in court again in October.