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CONVICTED murderer Andrew Mallard answered “no” during a lie detector test when asked if he had assaulted Mosman Park jeweller Pamela Lawrence on the day of her murder in 1994.

A 2½-hour videotape of the test, by polygraph examiner Steven Van Aperen at Casuarina Prison in July, was played to the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday.

The court is hearing Mallard’s second appeal against his conviction for the wilful murder of Mrs Lawrence at her Glyde Street shop, Flora Metallica, on May 23, 1994.

Mallard, 41, has served about nine years of a strict-security life sentence with a minimum of 20 years.

Mr Van Aperen, questioned by Mallard’s lawyer Jamie Edelman, told the court that Mallard had displayed no strong autonomic reaction such as sweating or increased blood pressure when questioned.

During the examination, Mallard answered “no” to a set of questions on whether he knew for certain if Mrs Lawrence was struck with an iron bar, a wrench, a spanner, a baseball bat, an anode, a hammer and a spade.

Mr Van Aperen told Mallard of the questions that were going to be asked before rubber tubes and sensors were fitted to him for the test.

Before being asked one set of questions, Mallard told Mr Van Aperen that he rated himself a 10 out of 10 for truthfulness.

Mallard said he had lied in the past but only to exaggerate his own importance. He lied to people about being an Interpol agent and a police officer to impress them and get marijuana.

He also admitted lying about having a pregnant wife in a bid to sell a watch.

But he told Mr Van Aperen he did not deliberately tell lies to hurt or deceive others.

In another set of questions, Mallard answered “no” when asked if he had ever told police that he, rather than someone else, had struck Mrs Lawrence.

When asked if he had ever told a “serious lie” to a personal friend or relative, Mallard answered “no”.

Justice Kevin Parker said the court would rule on the admissibility of the polygraph examination evidence at a later date.

The hearing will resume on Thursday.