Khandallah Murder Trial: Why Julia DeLuney Didn’t Call 111 After Her Mother Was Injured

In a chilling and emotionally charged trial, Julia DeLuney, 53, is facing murder charges for the death of her 79-year-old mother, Helen Gregory, in their Khandallah home. DeLuney has denied the allegations, claiming someone else was responsible for the attack, but the Crown insists she staged the scene to make it look like an accident.

During the trial, DeLuney provided a two-hour, 40-minute video interview to police, which was shown to the jury. In the interview, she described the events of the night her mother died, explaining that she didn’t call 111 immediately due to fear of being blamed.

DeLuney said she had arranged to visit her mother to book ballet tickets for her 80th birthday. During the visit, her mother became obsessed with finding a specific top she had owned for decades. The pair spent 40 minutes searching the house, including the attic, where DeLuney found a large amount of toilet paper. She said her mother wanted to put it in the attic, and she didn’t stop her.

Later that night, DeLuney claimed her mother fell from the attic, sustaining serious injuries. She described hearing a scream and a crash, rushing to help, and finding her mother on the floor with blood. DeLuney said she didn’t call an ambulance because she was afraid of being blamed for letting her mother climb up to the attic.

"I was scared I was gonna get blamed for letting her go up to the roof and, and so, I said, 'Mum just, just stay here, stay there. Oh, you’ll be fine. I’m just going to get Antonio [her husband], I’ll be straight back,'" she said.

DeLuney also described changing clothes multiple times, claiming she wore her mother’s clothes and slippers because her own were stained with blood. She said she changed again when she returned home, claiming it was simply for comfort.

When confronted with the severity of her mother’s injuries, including a black eye, bruising, and a piece of scalp on the floor, DeLuney became emotional and denied any involvement. "I have never been a violent person, particularly to my mother, ever, ever. I never even hit my kids," she said.

Despite her claims, the prosecution argues that DeLuney’s actions were suspicious, and the jury will continue to examine the evidence in the coming days.