Beau Lamarre-Condon continued giving evidence on Monday, marking his third day in the witness box.
The court had previously heard that he went to Jesse Baird’s home on the day of the alleged murders to retrieve personal belongings, including a Cartier designer ring valued at $24,000.
On Monday, Lamarre-Condon was questioned about how he could afford such expensive items. He said he had two sources of income outside his police work.
He told the court his annual salary as a police officer was about $120,000, boosted by the large number of additional shifts he worked.
“I also have a business on the side … I have a swimwear line and I put a lot of the money into Bitcoin,” he said.
The former officer also said he traded Hermès Birkin handbags, earning profits ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
Lamarre-Condon said he chose to visit the house while Baird was away because he feared an apprehended violence order could threaten his career in policing.
He said he took his police firearm inside because leaving it unattended in a vehicle would have been unlawful.
Lamarre-Condon told the court he decided to wear an Uber Eats uniform after spotting it inside a bag left near Baird’s home.
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC, pictured below right, asked whether he had worried that taking the uniform could lead to a theft charge.
“I wasn’t intending on stealing [the outfit], I was intending on putting it straight back,” Lamarre-Condon replied.
Mr Hatfield asked: “So you got this idea because there might be an outfit in a bag that you could use?”
Lamarre-Condon responded: “Mr Crown, I want to remind you that it was raining and there was a jacket and waterproof pants.
“The bag was partly open and I could see the high-vis jacket.”
Mr Hatfield then asked: “And then you thought, ‘This is a plan, this is a jacket I can wear’?”
He replied: “To avoid getting an AVO, I thought it was worth it to avoid getting an AVO.”
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Mr Hatfield followed up: “What about a charge of theft or stealing?”
Lamarre-Condon said he had not intended to commit larceny, which he described as taking property without returning it.
He maintained that he planned to give the uniform back after using it.
Lamarre-Condon also told the court he was “freaking out” after the alleged murders, despite appearing composed on CCTV. He attributed that appearance to his police training.
His voice shook as he said he had initially considered surrendering to police over the deaths of Baird and Davies.
“The bodies were in the back of the van, I could have still gone to police,” he said.
When asked whether he was being serious, Lamarre-Condon replied: “Yes that is a very serious answer, I don’t find this funny, I don’t see this as a joke.”
Mr Hatfield questioned why Lamarre-Condon appeared relaxed when he entered Decathlon with a friend several hours after the alleged murders.
Lamarre-Condon said his police training had taught him to remain calm during traumatic situations.
“It doesn’t mean I wasn’t sitting in the shower crying before that,” he said.
“This is someone I cared about … Jesse was someone who I cared about and just because you don’t see it on camera doesn’t mean I don’t care.”
Mr Hatfield also asked whether he had been distressed while “licking his fingers and laughing” at Sushi Train in Cronulla following the alleged murders.
Lamarre-Condon accused the Crown of failing to present the complete footage.
He said the full recording showed him placing his hands against his temples while distressed.
“I’m putting my hands to my temples, I’m talking to [my friend], he’s looking down at the table, we are not laughing,” he said.
“I’m freaking out.”
