Call the Ghostbusters! Medium hired by spooked Supreme Court renovators says dead judge’s spirit haunts his old courtroom

Contractors upgrading Adelaide’s law courts precinct have hired a psychic medium to investigate reports of paranormal activity involving a long-dead Chief Justice.

The builders renovating Adelaide's Supreme Court building called in Ghostbusters - well, technically a medium - who says Courtroom 11 is haunted by the spirit of former Chief Justice Sir George Murray.

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Contractors upgrading Adelaide’s law courts precinct have hired a psychic medium amid reports of paranormal activity involving a long-dead Chief Justice.

In a bizarre series of events, spooked construction workers recently reported an eerie “presence” at the old Supreme Court complex in Victoria Square’s southwest corner.

The Sunday Mail has learned building firm Hansen Yuncken then hired, at its own expense, an Adelaide-based medium – a person said to have psychic abilities – to investigate the spirit.

The spiritualist reportedly claimed she had a supernatural conversation with aggrieved former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir George Murray, and as a result a redesign of Courtroom 11 could be on the cards.

The official portrait of former Chief Justice Sir George Murray.

Sir George – the state’s highest ranking judge for 26 years and 29 days until his death in 1942, aged 78 – was supposedly “a little bit annoyed” at the changes to his courtroom.

The stranger-than-fiction tale around the $31 million redevelopment, which involves building nine new courtrooms and a lobby entrance, has become a hot topic among the judiciary and legal fraternity.

Government sources said no taxpayers’ money was spent on the medium, no time was lost investigating the claims and no changes have been made to the project.

But it is understood project management are investigating whether to change the courtroom’s layout to “appease the ghost” or maintain its current design.

The drama began last week when unnerved workers told construction bosses of strange happenings, including items such as fire extinguishers and chairs being mysteriously moved.

None of the unearthly events were considered dangerous but no worker has admitted being responsible for a prank.

After being called in, the unnamed medium – who has also been enlisted on other major city construction sites – said she felt a “presence” as she ran her hands over the site plan.

Walking into the courtroom, which has an entrance off King William St and is used for Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeal hearings, she said she had a “good conversation” with Sir George, who died in 1942. She identified the judicial spectre from his portrait.

“The medium had a walk around the site and found a room … courtroom number 11,” a straight-faced Hansen Yuncken spokesman told the Sunday Mail.

“She looked at the site plan, felt a presence on the plan and then realised that was where the issue was. The medium went down to the room and felt a presence there.

“Apparently she spoke to what she called the ‘spirit’, which was a Supreme Court Judge, Sir George Murray, who was a little bit annoyed that the layout of his courtroom had changed so he has been causing a little bit of mayhem.”

Bachelor Sir George, considered one of the most eminent public figures in the state’s history, told the medium he was “annoyed” the position of the bench, where judges sat, had changed.

The HY spokesman declined to comment on specifics about any redesign but said the company cared about its workers’ “mindset and wellbeing”.

“The medium had a good conversation with him and things are getting back to where they should be,” he said.

“There might be a little bit of a design change to keep the judge happy. There may well be some things to accommodate his, shall we say, temper.”

Current Chief Justice Chris Kourakis was unavailable for comment while the Courts Administration Authority declined to answer specific questions about the incident.

In a statement, the State Courts Administrator, Julie-Anne Burgess, said: “The redevelopment of the Higher Courts precinct in Victoria Square involves the demolition of historic outbuildings and internal courtrooms facing King William St. Demolition work is going well, with no workplace safety incidents, no loss of time or additional costs in the process to date.”

Memo to the builders at Hansen Yuncken .... don’t cross the streams!

A surprised Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said on Saturday the project was on track.

“The Courts Administration Authority has assured me the redevelopment is in full swing, and is progressing on track, on time and on budget,” she said.

“If all of this is true, perhaps they need to call the Ghostbusters.”

The medium and site workers declined to comment. Construction on the project is expected to finish later next year.

SPIRIT OF THE LAW

Sir George John Robert Murray was considered a dominant influence during his almost three decades as the state’s highest-ranking judge.

He was born in 1863 at Murray Park, Magill, the second surviving son of wealthy pastoralists, who later moved him to Edinburgh.

Sir George Murray in 1938.

Returning home, his academic and sporting prowess was later on show at St Peter’s College.

Obtaining an Adelaide University scholarship, he graduated in 1883 with a first-class honours Arts degree before reading law at Trinity College, Cambridge, with government help.

Admitted to legal practice in 1889, his “longstanding professional relationship” with Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir Samuel Way – whose name adorns the state’s legal complex – began as his associate.

He established his own civil law firm in 1900 before succeeding his mentor as Chief Justice in 1916, and was made Lieutenant-Governor in 1917. He was proud at being the “first person of colonial birth” to serve on the bench and was known for his belief in the law and community values.

The bachelor and avid stamp collector was the university’s chancellor six times and lived at Murray House – now on the UniSA Magill campus and said to be haunted – with his spinster sister.

He died in 1942 after an operation for appendicitis, when his £88,000 estate was bequeathed to the university. His “fine” stamp collection, paintings, papers and books were donated to the State Library, Museum, Art Gallery and Law Society.