Alleged murderer may lose his house
THE lawyer of a man accused of murdering his wife has had extraordinary spray at police covering the case, saying “they’ve had two years to get their act together” and his client is in danger of losing his house.
Michael McMillan said the police treatment of Bonogin man Edward Lord was having a serious effect on his mental health.
Lord has been in lock up near Kempsey, north of Port Macquarie, NSW, since March.
He was driving with his wife Michele Lee Lord at Tumbulgum late on October 18, 2015, when the car left the road and plunged into the Tweed River.
Lord dragged his wife to shore and performed CPR before she was flown to Gold Coast University Hospital, where she died.
He was originally charged with negligent driving, but the charges were upgraded and he was extradited to NSW in March.
“The events occurred say two years ago,” Mr McMillan said. “They took ages to change the charge and they’re taking even longer to give us the brief.
“Even though they’ve had two years to get their act together, they’re after another report.
“I think the uncertainty of when they’re going to have all the evidence … is upsetting him. He had a mortgage … he was meeting all those obligations. Now that’s in arrears and the bank’s very upset with him and considering their position.”
Lord appeared in Tweed Heads Local Court via video link this month. His matter was adjourned until September 13.
The reason for the latest delay is believed to be an engineer’s report on the car.
Mr McMillan said he hoped to apply for bail for his client and said if the matter went to trial, the case would unlikely be heard until mid-to-late 2018.
“We want to make an application for Supreme Court bail ... but we’re stymied,” he said.
“They come along and say ‘we’ve got this extra evidence’.
“We don’t want to go and make an application for bail and have them hand over this extra evidence at the bar table which cuts in half our chances.
“The committal will occur some time this year.
“If there is a trial, it will occur before the Supreme Court some time I’d say towards the end of next year.”
The NSW Department of Public Prosecutions declined to comment.