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Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Scots soldier charged with murdering wife in Australia 'previously had affair'
Graeme Davidson faces a murder charge after his wife Jacqueline Davidson drowned while the couple were kayaking. A Scot accused of killing his wife while kayaking in Australia had previously cheated on her, a court has heard. In May this year, Graeme Davidson, 55, originally from Glasgow was charged with his wife Jacqueline Davidson's murder. He was also charged with fraud and attempted fraud, in relation to insurance claims he made totalling more than almost half a million pounds. In November 2020, the couple were kayaking on Lake Samsonvale without life jackets when she reportedly fell into the water and drowned. Her death was initially considered an accident; however, a homicide investigation was launched about 18 months later. Mr Davidson, who had relocated to Thailand and re married a resident there, was later arrested during a visit to Brisbane. On Thursday, his lawyer made an application for bail in the Supreme Court, where he submitted it was a "fundamentally weak Crown case". Craig Eberhardt told the court it was not in dispute that Mrs Davidson had drowned, but it was contested that his client deliberately caused her death. "There are no eyewitnesses who claim to have seen [Mr Davidson] drowning his wife or indeed behaving suspiciously," he said. The court heard Mr Davidson told police his wife had fallen into the water shortly after he had stood up in his kayak, which caused her to panic. He then told police he saw her struggling, so he entered the water, which was dark and had branches and weeds beneath the surface, to pull her out, the court heard. He said he was witnessed by members of the public and paramedics trying to resuscitate her, and some later told police Mr Davidson had worked "tirelessly to save [Mrs Davidson's] life". "He was observed by various people as being distressed, shocked and upset," he said. Mr Eberhardt told the court Mrs Davidson did not have any injuries consistent with being assaulted or being involved in any sort of struggle. "Quite simply … there is no direct evidence that [Mr Davidson] killed Jacqueline," he said. The court heard Mr Davidson, who had been married to Mrs Davidson for decades, had no criminal history and had never been the subject of a domestic violence order. The couple had been living together, but police earlier said they would allege the relationship had broken down. At the time of his wife's death, the court heard he had recently been medically discharged from the Australian Arm y, where he served as a major, and before that, he was a captain in the British Army. The court heard that during a posting in Papua New Guinea in 2018, Mr Davidson had an affair with a local woman, which Mrs Davidson became aware of in 2019. Mr Eberhardt told the court this had caused "significant matrimony upset" at that time, and as a result, the couple returned to Australia shortly after. "Although it can be accepted that [Mrs Davidson] was very upset, understandably about her husband's infidelity," he said. "There is in fact no evidence of ongoing dispute or domestic disharmony, let alone domestic violence in 2020." The court heard there were a number of witness statements that had been submitted from people who knew the couple, including their children and friends. Parts of some of their statements were read to the court, including one made by a friend of Mrs Davidson whom she confided in shortly after the affair. The court heard she had suggested ending the marriage at the time, but later said she did not wish to do so. A statement was also submitted by one of their daughters, who was living with her parents at the time of her mother's death. The court heard she told police she had also been invited to go kayaking with them on the day. "Seems a remarkable thing to do if he intended to drown her," Mr Eberhardt said. The court heard the daughter also told police her mother seemed happy, her usual self, and she had never witnessed any domestic violence between her parents. She also told police her mother had a previous heart issue, had choking issues, and would often get flustered and panic. The court heard in a statement from a friend of the couple, one man spoke of them appearing to have a "good marriage" in the years before Mrs Davidson's death. He also said in his statement that in 2021, Mr Davidson commented to him that "Jacqueline would have been gone a long time ago had she not been so pretty". However, he clarified in the statement that his friend had been acting strangely since his wife's death and believed this was a significant reaction to his grief. The court heard that after the drowning, Mr Davidson made a claim on Mrs Davidson's life insurance through her superannuation and received a payout of more than $200,000. Mr Davidson was arrested earlier this year, after he returned from overseas to visit family in Brisbane. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Mr Eberhardt told the court Mr Davidson had "no involvement" in setting up that policy and was not aware he was the sole beneficiary before making the claim. He said the couple had also taken out individual policies in mid-2020, and they were both insured for the same amount, which was roughly the cost of their mortgage of $950,000. "The existence of mutual insurance policies between husband and wife is the most unremarkable feature of sound financial planning going into retirement," he said. "The fact he claimed on the insurance policy is even more unremarkable, in fact, it would have been even more suspicious if he didn't claim."The court heard Mr Davidson was aware his wife's death was being investigated by detectives, and after moving overseas, he had corresponded with police on several occasions between 2021 and 2025. "This is not a case of him going overseas then hiding," Mr Eberhardt said. Mr Eberhardt told the court there had been "exaggerations and mischaracterisations" of other alleged evidence, which he said had been "taken out of context". He said this included Mr Davidson burning unknown documents in his backyard while his daughter was home and in view of CCTV, purchasing a new car a week after her death, and starting to date some months later. "None of this would be admissible as evidence of post-offence conduct," Mr Eberhardt said. The court heard Mr Davidson's two daughters, who were both in court to support him, would offer a surety for his release if granted. He also agreed to be subject to a curfew and would surrender his two passports. The bail hearing will continue tomorrow and is expected to be opposed by prosecutors next week.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Australian Army's new Precision Strike Missile fired at NT's Mount Bundey during Exercise Talisman Sabre
The Australian Army has test fired its newest long-range missile for the first time, launching the weapon from a remote army training base in the Northern Territory. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which can hit distant targets with minimal warning and high accuracy, was fired from the Mount Bundey Training Area, south-east of Darwin, on Friday. It hit its target over 300 kilometres away in four minutes and three seconds, reaching speeds of roughly 4,050 kilometres per hour — more than three times the speed of sound. Fired from US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the PrSM can strike targets at distances of up to 500 kilometres with precision — a significant leap from the Australian Army's previous long-range strike range of just 30 kilometres. At a press conference at Mount Bundey on Friday, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the new weapon marked the day the "Australian Army enters the missile age". "This is all about extending deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, all about signalling to any potential adversary that pain can be inflicted — all about deterring war through strength," he said. Developed for the United States Army, the PrSM was sent to Australia last month as part of a $310 million deal with the US. The deal locks in Australian access to munitions, technological advancements and the option for future domestic manufacturing and maintenance. The missile launch was conducted as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre, a joint military exercise involving more than 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including the US. This year marks the largest iteration of the exercise since it began in 2005 as a way to practice maritime operations, air combat and live-fire exercises with international partners. On Friday, the Secretary of the United States Army, Dan Driscoll, was more forthright in his assessment of where the message of deterrence was aimed at. "President Trump, [the United States Secretary of Defence] Pete Hegseth and the rest of the Pentagon team have been very clear that our pacing threat is China," he said. While the US Army's chief of staff, General Randy George, did not respond directly to questions about an imminent threat, or whether there were enhanced capabilities in China, he said keeping up with technological advancements was "what keeps us up at night". "What we are trying to do is to transform as rapidly as possible," he said. Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer, said the PrSM's high speed halved the amount of warning time given to a potential enemy. He also said while the missile's explosion would not "level a city", its precision, driven by advanced navigation, was what made it lethal. "When you think about having six to seven minutes rather than 15 to 20 minutes, that's a lot less time for [a target] to pack up and roll out if they learn that they are being shot at," he said. In a statement from Mr Conroy's office, a spokesperson said future upgrades to the PrSM could include an extended strike range of over 1,000 kilometres, improved sensors and novel warheads.
ABC News
23-07-2025
- General
- ABC News
Inside Operation Babylift, which brought Vietnamese orphans to Australia at the Fall of Saigon
When Des Wraight joined the military in 1962, he did not imagine he would be required to change hundreds of nappies. But in April 1975, he found himself involved in the evacuation of thousands of children during the final weeks of the Vietnam War. Mr Wraight was on the first of four Qantas flights from Bangkok to Sydney which carried children who had been taken out of the country in what was known as Operation Babylift. "We picked up these children ranging from a few months old to about 10 years, and the babies were all in cardboard boxes," he said. The cardboard cribs were strapped in with seatbelts and toddlers lay on seats with a pillow. Mr Wraight, a corporal with the Australian Army Intelligence 3rd Battalion, served on the Thai-Malay border and the Malay Peninsula in Sarawak during the Indonesian Confrontation before his stint in Vietnam. Vietnamese was one of five languages the resident of Brunswick Heads on the New South Wales North Coast mastered. Mr Wraight used his language skills to calm bewildered and frightened children on the flight out of Vietnam. "A couple of the older ones — I think they were around about 10 — came up and asked me in Vietnamese, 'Where are we going?'" he said. Mr Wraight said the babies aboard the flight to Australia "kept the crew very busy". "They were fed formula, but it didn't agree with them," he said. "Most of the babies had diarrhoea — I spent most of the night changing nappies. "I said to my wife, 'I am never going to change a nappy again. I have done my deed!'" Operation Babylift was the largest evacuation of orphaned children ever undertaken, but not all had lost their parents. "As the war dragged on, more and more families were unable to feed their children, the situation was extremely desperate," the Australian War Memorial's Emily Hyles said. As the West began to withdraw from Vietnam, the US funded an operation to airlift 2,000 orphaned children to America, 700 to Europe and 300 to Australia. Those assigned to the shorter flight to Australia were often the weakest or sickest and some died en route. Ms Hyles said many orphans were adopted by loving families, but adapting to life in Australia was easier for those who were babies. "The older children had to learn [language and culture] and it must surely have been a much harder transition," she said. Van Minh Nguyen was nine years old when he arrived in Australia on April 17, 1975. "The memories of those flights and the people who cared for me in the aftermath are etched vividly in my mind," he said. "The sense of uncertainty and loss was overwhelming, but it was also a time of hope and resilience." Mr Nguyen's two foster family placements were short-lived. "I never quite felt like I belonged," he said. "I remember the day I was returned to an orphanage in Sydney like it was yesterday. Mr Nguyen was placed with a foster family in Orange who then moved to Cargo, but was never adopted by them. When he was 13, he was returned to an orphanage at Castle Hill. "It hit me that fostering can feel like leasing out a child for a short period," Mr Nguyen said. He was then placed with a family at Dundas in Sydney's north-west. "I lived with this family from age 14 until a couple of months before my 15th birthday, when I went back to the orphanage briefly," Mr Nguyen said. At that time, he received permission from his state ward to join the Royal Australian Navy as a junior recruit at HMAS Leeuwin in Western Australia. "I was drawn to the discipline and structure it offered," Mr Nguyen said. "It was a familiar environment, given my experience growing up in orphanages in Sydney." Mr Nguyen found a family in the Royal Australian Navy, where he served for eight years before being medically discharged after a serious accident. He then served as a public servant for 21 years, working in the NSW Attorney General's Department for Court Services. Now retired, Mr Nguyen volunteers as a mentor. "I'm proud to give back and support the development of our youths," he said. Like many of the other Vietnamese children who came to Australia, Mr Nguyen has tried to learn more about his heritage and the circumstances that led to him being given to an orphanage in Saigon when he was a toddler. "With a name like Nguyen, being so common, it's been tough to track down any leads," he said.
The Irish Sun
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Giant US-UK armada takes to water in ‘Talisman Sabre' show of force with aircraft carriers shrouded by fighter jet fleet
AN IMPOSING US-UK armada has taken to the water as part of the allied Exercise Talisman Sabre war drills. The impervious aircraft carriers and fighter jet fleets are taking part in live-fire exercises in Australia which include 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations. Advertisement 9 An imposing US-UK armada has taken to the water as part of the allied Exercise Talisman Sabre war drills Credit: SWNS 9 Aircraft carriers USS George Washington (top) and HMS Prince of Wales (bottom) sail in formation with US and UK warships Credit: SWNS 9 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations took part in the Australian drills Credit: SWNS Australia marked the historic event, the largest war drills in their history , by firing missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the US and were unleashed today at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. Elsewhere, a striking display of allied naval might saw the UK and US deploy their USS George Washington and the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carriers. The UK - who sent over 3,000 troops - also used vessels such as HMS Richmond, HMS Dauntless, RFA Fort Victoria, and RFA Argus for the exercise. Advertisement read more in war drills The expansive multinational flotilla was shadowed by warships from Canada, Norway, and Australia as well. The huge fleet were paired up with air operations and joint ground manoeuvres which took place across Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland. Brigadier Nick Wilson told reporters after the drills: "Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day." British Defence Secretary John Healey added: "The historic bonds between Britain and Australia run deep, and through AUKUS and exercises like Talisman Sabre we are strengthening these ties for the challenges of tomorrow. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun "Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates. "We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity." Britain pledges more support to Ukraine as NATO warships prepare for largest drills since Cold War Talisman Sabre has been a This year saw dozens of other countries take part such as Canada , Fiji, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea among others. Advertisement The drills stretched all the way from Darwin to Brisbane as the allies imposed themselves across the Indo-Pacific. The waters are often closely monitored by Chinese surveillance ships. dating back to 2017. Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said he expects China to monitor them again this time around. Advertisement Conroy said: "We'll adjust accordingly. We'll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia. "But we'll also adjust how we conduct those exercises." 9 U.S. Navy aircraft and the George Washington Carrier participate in the dual carrier operations Credit: SWNS 9 A US F18 launches from US Aircraft Carrier, USS George Washington Credit: SWNS Advertisement 9 An Australian soldier from the 1st Military Police Battalion is seen participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 Credit: Getty It all comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a six-day visit to China of his own. He is expected to hold a fourth face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Albanese said despite Chinese surveillance being a concern, he would not raise it as an issue amid the Talisman Sabre operations. Advertisement China has been routinely trying to scare the West through their own military drills in recent weeks. Earlier this month, dramatic footage captured a fleet of Chinese tank boats And China's new giant These developments have raised fears that a Chinese invasion on Taiwan could be imminent. Advertisement Bringing the self-governed province back in line with mainland China has been a goal of president The self-governing nation has been protected by the firepower of ally America for decades. The latest Talisman Sabre drills will give Taiwan further hope of protection from not only the US but also the entire allied fleet. The exercises are also aimed towards striking fear into other Western allies such as North Korea and Russia. Advertisement Russia 's relationship with Europe has drastically worsened as Vladimir Putin continues to defy all warnings and continue with his deadly invasion of Ukraine. But even Vlad, with all his firepower and huge army, faces a serious battle against a unified West due to his lack of aircraft carriers. Russia only boasts a Ukraine and has instead been languishing in the grim Arctic port of Murmansk, in northwestern Russia. Advertisement 9 A terrifying fleet of Chinese tank boats seen charging through the sea near to Taiwan earlier this month Credit: X 9 Vladimir Putin's only rustbucket aircraft carrier is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs - leaving the despot vulnerable Credit: EPA 9
Scottish Sun
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Giant US-UK armada takes to water in ‘Talisman Sabre' show of force with aircraft carriers shrouded by fighter jet fleet
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN IMPOSING US-UK armada has taken to the water as part of the allied Exercise Talisman Sabre war drills. The impervious aircraft carriers and fighter jet fleets are taking part in live-fire exercises in Australia which include 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 An imposing US-UK armada has taken to the water as part of the allied Exercise Talisman Sabre war drills Credit: SWNS 9 Aircraft carriers USS George Washington (top) and HMS Prince of Wales (bottom) sail in formation with US and UK warships Credit: SWNS 9 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations took part in the Australian drills Credit: SWNS Australia marked the historic event, the largest war drills in their history, by firing missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the US and were unleashed today at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. Elsewhere, a striking display of allied naval might saw the UK and US deploy their USS George Washington and the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carriers. The UK - who sent over 3,000 troops - also used vessels such as HMS Richmond, HMS Dauntless, RFA Fort Victoria, and RFA Argus for the exercise. read more in war drills SEA OF STEEL Watch as huge fleet of terrifying new Chinese 'tank boats' takes to water The expansive multinational flotilla was shadowed by warships from Canada, Norway, and Australia as well. The huge fleet were paired up with air operations and joint ground manoeuvres which took place across Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland. Brigadier Nick Wilson told reporters after the drills: "Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day." British Defence Secretary John Healey added: "The historic bonds between Britain and Australia run deep, and through AUKUS and exercises like Talisman Sabre we are strengthening these ties for the challenges of tomorrow. "Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates. "We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity." Britain pledges more support to Ukraine as NATO warships prepare for largest drills since Cold War Talisman Sabre has been a major biennial joint exercise ever since it was first announced in 2005 between the US and Australia. This year saw dozens of other countries take part such as Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea among others. The drills stretched all the way from Darwin to Brisbane as the allies imposed themselves across the Indo-Pacific. The waters are often closely monitored by Chinese surveillance ships. Beijing has kept a watchful eye over any naval exercises off the Australian coast during the last four Talisman Sabre exercises dating back to 2017. Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said he expects China to monitor them again this time around. Conroy said: "We'll adjust accordingly. We'll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia. "But we'll also adjust how we conduct those exercises." 9 U.S. Navy aircraft and the George Washington Carrier participate in the dual carrier operations Credit: SWNS 9 A US F18 launches from US Aircraft Carrier, USS George Washington Credit: SWNS 9 An Australian soldier from the 1st Military Police Battalion is seen participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 Credit: Getty It all comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a six-day visit to China of his own. He is expected to hold a fourth face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Albanese said despite Chinese surveillance being a concern, he would not raise it as an issue amid the Talisman Sabre operations. China has been routinely trying to scare the West through their own military drills in recent weeks. Earlier this month, dramatic footage captured a fleet of Chinese tank boats charging through the sea in tight formation near Taiwan. And China's new giant "sea monster" warplane was spotted for the first time in the Bohai Sea. These developments have raised fears that a Chinese invasion on Taiwan could be imminent. Bringing the self-governed province back in line with mainland China has been a goal of president Xi Jinping's for a long time and recent military activity has shown that China is ready to take it back by force. The self-governing nation has been protected by the firepower of ally America for decades. The latest Talisman Sabre drills will give Taiwan further hope of protection from not only the US but also the entire allied fleet. The exercises are also aimed towards striking fear into other Western allies such as North Korea and Russia. Russia's relationship with Europe has drastically worsened as Vladimir Putin continues to defy all warnings and continue with his deadly invasion of Ukraine. But even Vlad, with all his firepower and huge army, faces a serious battle against a unified West due to his lack of aircraft carriers. Russia only boasts a single rustbucket carrier - but even that is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs. Putin's 'Ship of Shame' has played no role in the war against Ukraine and has instead been languishing in the grim Arctic port of Murmansk, in northwestern Russia. 9 A terrifying fleet of Chinese tank boats seen charging through the sea near to Taiwan earlier this month Credit: X 9 Vladimir Putin's only rustbucket aircraft carrier is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs - leaving the despot vulnerable Credit: EPA
