Brother to stand trial

A NORTH Queensland man accused of murdering his sister amid a heated argument has been committed to stand trial in Townsville.

Police allege Babinda man Dennis William Sore fatally stabbed his older sister Samantha Rose Bong, 49, in her own Pimlico home. He has not yet entered a plea.

The pair’s mother was present at the time of the alleged stabbing and was visibly shaking as she told a court she saw her son armed with a knife and that she tried to push him away “but it happened quick”.

Another witness told the court the siblings were involved in a heated argument not long before he saw Samantha collapsed on the floor with “blood everywhere”.

Police were called to the Granville St address in the early hours of February 22, 2020 about 1am after triple-0 was called.

Fifteen witnesses were called to give evidence at a committal mention before Magistrate Ross Mack on Monday.

A group of family members wearing shirts bearing the woman’s face and “Justice For Samantha” filed into the courtroom. Mr Sore occasionally looked into his hands or kept his gaze fixed directly ahead making little eye contact with witnesses or the group of supporters.

The pair’s mother Veronica Sore was the first to give evidence and told the hearing that she and the two siblings had spent the day at the Centenary Hotel in Pimlico before returning to Granville St where the group continued drinking.

Mr Sore’s defence barrister Ted Bassett asked about an argument between the siblings in which Samantha asked about where her brother’s “man” and “other half” was and Ms Sore agreed that the comment “must have” upset him.

Another witness who spent part of the evening drinking with the family told the court they were happy and laughing earlier in the evening.

Maria Sore, the accused’s sister, gave evidence that Mr Sore called her about 1am that night and confessed to the killing. “He said to me he killed Samantha,” she said.

Senior Constable Darren Crook responded to the triple-0 call at the Pimlico home.

He told the court he could not assess the accused’s level of intoxication but noticed he was speaking slowly and slurring slightly.

He recounted a loud exchange between the accused and his mother outside the home in which he said Mr Sore told his mother “Jesus will judge you”.

Magistrate Ross committed Mr Sore to stand trial in the Supreme Court after his defence conceded the case should proceed.

Speaking outside court, the group of supporters described Samantha as “happy go lucky” and said they hoped the court processes would find justice for the woman they loved.