Scot accused of his wife's murder had joked to friend about killing her, court told

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A Scot accused of murdering his wife while kayaking in Australia previously made a 'quip' about how he would 'kill her and move to Thailand ' if she left him and took half his pension, a court heard.
Former Army major Graeme Davidson, who is originally from Glasgow, was charged over the 2020 death of wife Jacqueline in May.
Her death at Lake Samsonvale in Queensland was initially put down to accidental drowning but a homicide investigation was launched 18 months later after detectives deemed it to be suspicious.
The 56-year-old's lawyers have now applied for his bail in the Supreme Court in Brisbane, claiming the prosecution's case is 'fundamentally weak'.
And yesterday the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported how his lawyer Craig Ederhardt told the court the only piece of evidence the prosecution could refer to in its case was the statement of one of Davidson's friends, relating to an alleged conversation in July 2017.
It is reported that Mr Eberhardt said they were talking about another friend, whose wife had left him on the day of his retirement, took half of his pension and one of them had moved to Thailand.
Davidson is alleged to have replied, saying, 'oh s*** yeah, I'd kill her and move to Thailand too'.
But his lawyer told the court it was 'just a quip' and when put in context is 'not nearly as sinister as it sounds'.
He is reported as saying: 'That [statement is] not recorded until eight years after the event.
'One wonders firstly whether it's reliable, secondly whether it's even admissible.'
Mr Eberhardt also argued there was no evidence to suggest Mrs Davidson had told her husband she intended to leave him or take half his pension.
Australian media reported that his wife had raised the 'idea' of divorce, after she learned her husband had an affair with a local woman during an army posting in Papua New Guinea, which caused 'significant matrimonial upset'.
But Mr Eberhardt said this was different to her indicating that 'she was intending on leaving the marriage'.
He told the court that Mrs Davidson later told friends that she intended to stay to try and make the marriage work.
Police allege Davidson, who moved to Thailand several months after his wife's death and married a local resident, was involved in her drowning while they were kayaking.
The court heard how bystanders at the scene allegedly asked Davidson if his wife had any diseases, to which he is said to have replied: 'Unless death is contagious'.
His lawyer said his client immediately realised this statement was in 'bad taste' and he should not have said it, telling the court it was a 'distressing' incident involving the death of his wife of 35 years.
In an affidavit filed as part of his bail application, Davidson is reported to have described how he began to 'show' off by standing up on his kayak when he and his wife were about 10 metres apart on the water.
Mrs Davidson allegedly became 'distressed' and 'used the 'safe word' … designed to let him know that she was concerned about what he was doing'.
The court was told Davidson saw his wife 'fall off the kayak' and he went into the water to find her but could not see because of the 'murky' water and grass weeds.
Mr Eberhardt said: 'He managed to find her after some period of time, and he dragged her out.'
Efforts were made to revive her, but she could not be saved.
Davidson is also charged with fraud and attempted fraud relating to allegations he tried to claim almost £500,00 [$1million] in life insurance payouts following his wife's death.
The defence is set to continue its submissions next week, when prosecutors are expected to refuse Davidson's application for bail.