Graeme Davidson’s family today offered $250,000 as surety in an attempt to have him released on bail following the murder charge.
Davidson, whose home is now in Thailand, was charged with murder in May after a police investigation raised doubts that his wife had died by accident.
Justice Tom Sullivan today heard the last of defence and prosecution submissions on Davidson’s bail application that had stretched over three days in Queensland Supreme Court.
Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said Davidson had joked about planning to kill his wife in circumstances that would later come to mirror allegations.
“This was made about three years prior to Jacqueline’s death,” Marco said.
“Davidson told (another man) if the deceased ever sought a divorce and made a claim to his military pension he would kill her and move to Thailand, which is of course what he allegedly did.”
Defence barrister Craig Eberhardt said Davidson’s comment had no sinister implication in its full context.
Justice Sullivan heard Davidson had no history of domestic violence.
“He was a major in the Australian army and a captain in the British army. He has no prior criminal record,” Eberhardt said.
Eberhardt said Davidson did discover her husband was having an affair in 2018 but by 2020 there were no domestic disputes in the marriage.
Justice Sullivan heard the defence would argue there was no forensic evidence or statements from witnesses at the lake that would show violence towards Davidson.
Eberhardt said Davidson had seen his wife fall into the water while they were riding separate kayaks and he had been prevented from finding her for multiple minutes due to the dark and murky water.
Justice Sullivan heard Davidson could have felt faint from a heart murmur but Marco said there was no evidence from the autopsy to prove a heart condition.
Police have accused Davidson of fraud by making a life insurance claim and attempting to make another after his wife’s death to the combined value of more than $1 million.
Eberhardt said the life insurance policy was set up by the couple’s financial planner and it would have been suspicious for him not to make a claim.
Marco said Davidson had a life insurance policy that covered for all circumstances but her husband was only covered for accidental death.
Davidson’s two daughters offered $50,000 each and his de facto son-in-law $150,000 for surety.
Marco had opposed bail, saying Davidson was a flight risk as he no longer had strong ties to Australia.
Eberhardt said Davidson did not have the resources to flee overseas like notorious Melbourne drug trafficker Tony Mokbel.
“Even Tony Mokbel got caught 10 years later,” he said.
Justice Sullivan said he would hand down his bail decision on Friday.
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
