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Australian True Crime

The First Time He Hit Her - #167

Australian True Crime

Meshel Laurie

True Crime

4.6979 Ratings

🗓️ 12 July 2020

⏱️ 49 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Canberra mum Tara Costigan was holding her newborn baby when her ex-partner murdered her in front of her other small children. Although he’d been verbally abusive, it was the first time he hit her. 

Heidi Lemon has written a book with Tara’s family and she and Tara’s Aunt Maria join us to talk it.

BUY THE FIRST TIME HE HIT HER by Heidi Lemon.


Source audio: 7.30 Report https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/family-speaks-of-tara-costigans-life-and-death/7642974


Warning: please be advised this episode contains graphic content.


Show notes for Episode 167:

Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily Webb

With thanks to Heidi Lemon and Maria Costigan

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If you have any information on the cases covered by this podcast, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.


If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, or domestic or family violence contact:

1800 Respect (1800 737 732)

Lifeline (13 11 14)

Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491)

Relationships Australia (1300 364 277)

WithRespect (1800 542 847 or visit www.withrespect.org.au)


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

We're bringing Australian True Crime live to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this July,

0:04.3

and I have to tell you that Brisbane sold out already.

0:07.5

Good for you, Brisbane, so we've quickly added a second show.

0:10.3

Now we can't keep adding more shows, so please make sure you get your tickets. Our special guests,

0:15.2

our forensic criminologist Santee Mallet in Brisbane and Sydney and the one and only Charlie Bizina in

0:19.9

Melbourne. There'll be a Q&A of course so you can ask your own burning questions on the night but you have to book quickly.

0:29.0

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded.

0:34.3

We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and to Aboriginal elders emerging.

0:40.9

The following podcast contains content of a graphic violent nature and is not suitable for children.

0:47.0

I tell me why you're bringing this application today?

0:53.0

Because I'm constantly getting abusive messages and there's been a lot of verbal abuse throughout our relationship.

1:07.0

And I'm fearful that he could come to my house at any time. And so you have this and I'm just talking through this statement Ms Kostigan. You say in your statement that there was an

1:20.0

incident when you were pregnant with your latest child.

1:25.0

Where he called you a slutter lawyer a cheat.

1:30.0

You say he threw a lamp from the bedside table and broke it and then came out into the

1:37.1

lounge room and leaned over you being abusive and telling you to crash into a tree, is that correct?

1:45.0

And then you riot that on the 29th of January, there was another incident.

1:49.3

Were you still together at that stage?

1:51.3

Yes, you were. Okay.

1:52.3

So you were heavily pregnant, start, he's out print and then you said you won't

1:56.8

make him be threatened and he then cracked his knuckles and spat at you and told you

2:02.2

and I'll quote

...

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