Peter Rex Dansie released on bail over alleged drowning murder of his disabled wife in Adelaide pond
A MAN accused of drowning his disabled wife in a city pond has been released on bail, despite new allegations he cancelled her appointments and made incriminating internet searches before her death.
A MAN accused of drowning his disabled wife in a city pond has been released on bail, despite allegations he cancelled her dental appointments and researched “cheap funerals” before her death.
The Supreme Court on Friday released Peter Rex Dansie, 68, on home detention bail — but he did not walk free.
Dansie will remain in custody until his two guarantors, including his sister, lodge $210,000 in sureties with the court to secure his release.
The court heard that, to guarantee her brother’s attendance at court, Sue Dansie will take out a caveat on the house they will live in.
Dansie has yet to plead to allegations he murdered his wheelchair-bound wife, Helen, by drowning her in a pond at Veale Gardens in April.
He was refused bail in July when the Adelaide Magistrates Court heard he left his valuables beside the pond before staging his “planned, premeditated” attack.
Sarah Attar, prosecuting, said the case against Dansie was strong.
“In the lead-up to her death, he took out a $50,000 funeral insurance policy ... that only covered accidental death,” she said.
“He contacted her dental practice and told it to take her off the books because she was ‘not going to be around much longer’.
“He conducted internet searches for ‘cheap funerals’ and other funeral-related inquiries.”
Ms Attar said Dansie also declined to pay a $350,000 deposit on his wife’s nursing home accommodations.
Instead, she said, Dansie opted “to pay $101.32 per day for her care”.
She said Danise had greater ties to China — which he had visited 23 times in 10 years — than he did to Adelaide, causing investigators concern.
Marie Shaw QC, for Dansie, said Ms Attar was “cherrypicking” elements of a “circumstantial case” to bolster her opposition to bail.
She said Dansie’s business interests would suffer if he remained in custody.
“The funeral insurance was a prize that he won in a competition,” she said.
“He asked them ‘is this car insurance or what?’ and they told him ‘no, it’s funeral expenses’.”
She said Dansie had co-operated with police throughout their inquiries and maintained he was innocent of the charge.
Justice Sam Doyle said he considered the prosecution case neither weak nor “overwhelmingly strong”.
He conceded it was “unusual, but not exceptional” to grant bail for murder.
He ruled Dansie was suitable for release on strict home detention conditions, including being subject to electronic monitoring at all times.