A former Royal Australian Air Force pilot accused of killing his wife told his wing commander it was “good to get away” during a work trip just weeks before her death, as he talked of difficulties in the relationship, a court has heard.
asserted
court → accuse → relationship
Robert Crawford, who is facing his second week of a Supreme Court trial, allegedly killed Frances, whose body was found at the bottom of a retaining wall on the couple’s rural south-east Queensland property along with a ride-on mower in 2024.
uncertain
body → face → 2024
Prosecutors say the 49-year-old, described as a “love rat” who had a string of extramarital affairs, murdered Frances so he would not lose millions of dollars in a divorce.
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he → say → divorce
Crawford has pleaded not guilty.
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Crawford → plead → ?
His defence team told the jury the death was a tragic accident, and that he believed his wife died while moving the mower because the sprinklers were going to come on.
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sprinklers → tell → mower
On Thursday, RAAF Wing Commander Mark Seery was asked about his time working with Crawford, who he knew since 2018.
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he → ask → 2018
Seery also confirmed he knew of Antonia Guterres, who was in No. 35 Squadron with Crawford.
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who → confirm → Crawford
The trial earlier heard that Crawford had an affair with Guterres and asked her if she wanted to move with him to Papua New Guinea.
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she → hear → Guinea
In the weeks before his wife’s death, he told Guterres he still had feelings for her.
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he → tell → her
Seery told the court he did not know of Crawford’s relationships with his colleagues, but he had spoken on several occasions with Crawford about his marriage with Frances.
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he → tell → Frances
“He said they were having difficulties,” Seery said, adding that Crawford had told him his wife had new medication that was creating disruption between them.
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that → say → them
Seery said he was aware that Crawford had moved out of the family home, and knew in February 2024 he had moved back in.
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he → say → February
In messages from February 2 shown to the jury, Crawford told Seery that a counselling session he had done the previous day “went better than I thought it would”.
“Aiming to move back to the Toowoomba house mid-March (but still a long road ahead),” Crawford wrote, referring to the Upper Lockyer property he shared with his wife.
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he → show → wife
He said another issue Crawford raised was that Frances did not want him in the Air Force and that time away from home was causing friction.
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time → say → friction
He said work arrangements were put in place to help Crawford with his home life.
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arrangements → say → life
After a work trip between May and June 2024, Seery could be seen in messages thanking Crawford for going, saying he hoped it had not caused stress at home.
uncertain
it → see → home
Crawford replied: “You’re welcome mate.
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You → reply → ?
Yeah, it wasn’t fun when I told her, but it was good for me to get away, to be honest.
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me → tell → her
I feel happy when I come to work.”
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I → feel → work
Seery also confirmed to Crawford’s defence barrister, Saul Holt KC, that the accused had been upset in a phone call and said his relationship had “gone backwards”.
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relationship → confirm → call
Seery said after a RAAF trip in 2024, Crawford asked for one or two days off per week to spend more time at home.
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Crawford → say → home
Earlier in Thursday’s hearing, Crawford’s barrister peppered detective sergeant Troy Weston, who investigated the scene, with questions about the water system on the property.
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who → pepper → property
Holt put to him that he did no investigation into what police had known for five days, which was that Crawford had told other officers there was a grey water tank that turned on at “random times”.
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that → put → times
“Were you aware that [Crawford] had said similar things to Sergeant [Glen] Thomas, ‘the grey water system … it just goes whenever, like it’s a septic set by the level’, he said.”
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he → say → level
Weston said he was not aware.
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he → say → ?
Holt also grilled Weston over why he had not pumped water into an empty tank to test the full capabilities of the sprinkler.
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he → grill → sprinkler
Weston answered: “Because it was just a visual inspection.”
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it → answer → ?
Holt also questioned Weston over his test of the sprinkler control box.
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Holt → question → box
“You’re an investigator, sergeant.
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You → ’re → ?
You’re investigating something, which was alleged to be murder, and you’re looking at sprinklers, and you don’t need to educate yourself as to how to look at the controller?” Holt asked.
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Holt → investigate → controller
Weston replied that he did his best.
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he → reply → best
The best you could do was not to turn your head to the left and read the instructions, is that right?” Holt said.
uncertain
Holt → do → instructions
This week the jury heard evidence that blood drops found inside the Crawford’s bathroom was consistent with Frances’ DNA.
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drops → hear → DNA
A forensic scientist told the court there was no test to determine the age of the stains.
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scientist → tell → stains
Investigators also found several notes around the home which the prosecution say Frances wrote.
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Frances → find → which
They detailed the pair’s relationship, including Crawford’s excuse for an affair.
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They → detail → affair
The jury on Wednesday visited the Crawford home, which Justice Lincoln Crowley said would assist them in understanding evidence in a realistic setting.
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Crowley → visit → setting
The trial continues.
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trial → continue → ?
The Aporia
