Robert Crawford’s defence barrister has told a trial the accused pilot “hid nothing” in the police investigation, as forensic analysis of his phone revealed how the device was used in the hours surrounding his wife’s alleged murder.
Former Royal Australian Air Force pilot Robert Crawford, 49, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Frances, who was found at the bottom of a retaining wall along with a mower at their rural south-east Queensland property.
His defence team have told the jury that her death was a tragic accident, with Crawford claiming he believed his wife died while moving the ride-on mower late at night because the sprinklers were going to come on.
The trial has so far heard about a series of messages about moving the mower sent between the two Crawford phones on July 29, in the hours before Frances’ death.
On the prosecution case, some of those messages, including one at 11:21pm sent from Frances’ phone asking “Hey, are you going to move the mower soon?” were staged by Crawford. By this time Frances was likely dead, dying or unconscious, the prosecution claims.
Defence barrister Saul Holt, KC, told the jury in his opening address that 17 seconds after that message was sent, but before Crawford had read it, he was ringing a RAAF colleague to discuss a work issue on the airforce base.
“Right at that time Mr Crawford is on the phone before he’s even read the message that he’s apparently faked, having a conversation with [colleague] Jason McClure,” Holt said earlier.
On Friday, Queensland police investigative computer analyst Sean Dalton gave evidence regarding forensic data extraction of the two Crawford phones.
Dalton analysed usage on Crawford’s phone between 1.09am and 1.51am, and 2.35am to 3.20am. Dalton ran a series of tests using an Oppo phone, the same type as Crawford’s.
He found that messaging app Signal had been opened during those periods on Crawford’s phone, and that the device was unlocked at those times.
The trial has heard that Crawford called emergency services at 3.37am. Crawford told police he last physically saw his wife about 9.45pm, before going to bed to study, and must have fallen asleep before she came to bed.
The court heard the last search on Crawford’s phone at 6.10pm related to a park run.
In analysing Frances’ iPhone, Dalton found that her device was unlocked, and a message sent at 7:43pm to her son showing a photo of korma paste. Her phone also received a message at 9.23pm.
The phone was then unlocked at 11.20pm, and a minute later, a Signal message was set. The phone was then locked at 11:26pm.
When asked about limitations in his findings, Dalton said his testing was incredibly clinical and structured. In the replica phone used, he did not have the same version of Signal.
Under cross-examination, Holt put to Dalton that the last time the keyboard was used on Crawford’s phone was at 12:35am. Dalton agreed.
Following the evidence, Holt told the jury Crawford’s defence team would be calling three witnesses in their case for next week.
They would include a forensic physician for a second medical opinion, an acoustic engineer who went to the Crawford property to examine how loud the mower would have been, and a biomedical engineer.
Holt said the acoustic engineer may address a question the jury had, which was how a mower would be heard on a rural property on a quiet night.
In addressing the jury, Holt said his client did everything police asked of him, including allowing access to his phone and photographing him.
“He hid nothing,” Holt said.
The court has also previously heard Crawford’s phone was bugged by investigators for a month after his wife’s death.
The jury were also shown a series of commands the Crawfords had used their Alexa device for in the days before Frances’ death, including to turn on their pump on the property for set times.
On July 29, about 11.30am, Alexa was asked under the “Frances” profile, about turning on the pump. The trial earlier heard evidence from Crawford about how the property’s sprinkler and pump systems worked.
The last question the device was asked was: “Alexa, how do you spell ‘axle’?” which was under the “Rob” profile at 8.48pm on July 29.
Cassandra James, a forensic biologist who examined DNA samples in the case, gave evidence that both Crawford’s DNA were found on various parts of the mower.
It was also determined that a blood stain on the left side of the mower’s engine cover was likely Frances’ DNA, the court heard.
Frances’ fingernails were also examined, with both her and Crawford’s DNA found.
Under cross-examination by defence, James confirmed studies indicated that it was not uncommon for one to have the DNA of their cohabiting partner under their fingernails.
The trial before Justice Lincoln Crowley continues.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
