A jury is expected to travel more than 100 kilometres to inspect the rural scene of an alleged murder in Queensland. Robert John Crawford, 48, a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot, appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing concerning the death of his wife, Frances Elizabeth Crawford.
Crawford has pleaded not guilty to murder and interfering with her corpse. Ms Crawford was found dead near a ride-on mower at the bottom of a sandstone retaining wall at the couple's Upper Lockyer property, west of Brisbane, in July 2024.
Although Crawford's presence was not required for Monday's hearing, he sat quietly at the back of the courtroom as lawyers debated the evidence. The court was informed that a jury should visit the Upper Lockyer property either before or during the trial to fully grasp the steep, three-dimensional layout of the scene.
Defence barrister Saul Holt stated: 'It's an agreed position that it's one of those scenes that it's not possible to understand unless you've stood there, so the parties agree that it would be appropriate.' He added: 'It's a significant trip out and back. The scene itself is comparatively contained. I suspect it would be two to three hours on the property at most.'
Prosecutors allege that Crawford strangled his wife and staged the scene to appear as an accident while moving the lawnmower. However, the defence has previously criticised the case as weak, arguing that Ms Crawford's injuries could be explained by an accident.
The trial is expected to commence later this year. Support services are available for those affected by domestic violence: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 13 11 14, and Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491.
