Lion man weds before sentencing
2005-09-30 12:12
Phalaborwa - Convicted killer Mark Scott-Crossley was married in the Phalaborwa magistrate's court on Friday ahead of his sentencing for the murder of farmworker Nelson Chisale.
Scott-Crossley and Simonetta Strydom, who works for the SA Revenue Service (Sars) in Phalaborwa, were married by magistrate's court officials.
They couple tried to get married in the cells two weeks ago, but the police refused to allow home affairs officials inside to conduct the ceremony.
"We tried today and we were lucky," said Scott-Crossley's lawyer, Charl van Tonder.
Strydom's husband died six months ago in a car crash.
Strydom had attended court proceedings all week.
A lawyer alerted the press to the brief civil ceremony, but the police who were on guard inside the court made sure they could not get inside to witness the ceremony.
An emotional Scott-Crossley battled to fight back his tears on his arrival at the court on Friday, embracing his fiancé outside before he was led into the holding cells.
- SAPA