Peter Dansie, accused of drowning disabled wife, ‘falls and hits head’ after visiting scene of alleged crime

The man accused of drowning his wheelchair-bound wife in a city pond is in hospital after falling while returning from a visit to the scene of the alleged crime alone, a court has heard.

Helen Dansie died after drowning in a city pond.

• THE CHARGE: ‘Wife was a burden killer would no longer tolerate’
• THE AMBOS: ‘Husband was calm, not alarmed, by drowning’
• THE SON: ‘Mum was always dirty … I wore a wire to talk to Dad’

Alleged murderer Peter Rex Dansie has been rushed to hospital after falling over and striking his head while returning from the scene where his wife drowned.

On Tuesday, Dansie’s Supreme Court trial toured Veale Gardens, where his wife Helen died in April 2017.

Dansie attended the view — held so that Justice David Peek could familiarise himself with the location — on his own as he remains on continuing bail.

However, when the trial resumed back in the Sir Samuel Way Building in Adelaide, Dansie was nowhere to be found.

Eventually, defence counsel discovered their client had fallen over and sustained an injury while walking back from Veale Gardens.

Peter Dansie outside the Supreme Court last week during an earlier hearing. Picture: AAP /David Mariuz

Dansie, 70, has pleaded not guilty to having murdered Helen, 67.

He insists he jumped in to save her after her wheelchair accidentally went into the pond, but could not keep her head above water due to the cold and his “bad legs”.

Prosecutors say Dansie threw her in because she was “a burden he was no longer prepared to tolerate”, then embarked on “a course of deception and subterfuge” to avoid arrest.

On Tuesday afternoon, Greg Mead SC, for Dansie, asked the trial be adjourned.

“My information, and I don’t have it in writing, is that he will be kept under observation in the Royal Adelaide Hospital for a few hours … that’s what I’ve been told,” he said.

Justice Peek was unimpressed.

“I’m really surprised to hear he was walking to and from the view,” he said.

“The way he shuffles into the dock on a daily basis, I feel it would be fair to infer he would have a lot of trouble walking too long a distance.”

Mr Mead, who said he also walked to and from the view, conceded that “with hindsight” other arrangements should have been made.

Justice Peek replied: “Not just with hindsight, but with foresight.”

“It just never would have occurred to me he would walk to and from the view … it just didn’t occur to me at all,” he said.

“I am constantly surprised.”

He adjourned the trial until Wednesday morning.