Murderer Wendie-Sue Dent wants lawsuit over victim David Lawrence’s assets, ashes stayed after his family spends $30,000 fighting her claim

She wants her victim’s money, she wants his body, and now this black widow wants a court to put her case on hold – after putting his family to enormous expense.

A twice-convicted murderer seeking to claim her victim’s assets and ashes wants a judge to “urgently” postpone her lawsuit – after his family has spent $30,000 in just four months going to court to stop her.

Wendie-Sue Dent has asked the Supreme Court to stay her 10-year legal battle with David Lawrence’s family until she has challenged her conviction – her second for his murder – in the High Court.

Her urgent application, to be heard Monday, comes after the Lawrences revealed they would seek to have Dent and her sister cross-examined over what they claim to be David’s final will.

Dent’s two trials heard the will was falsified and that, when the Lawrences said “whoever’s written this will is a f***wit”, Dent responded “are you calling my sister a f***wit?”.

On Friday, David’s brother, Dr Phillip Lawrence, said the family’s lawyers would oppose Dent’s bid for a further delay, as the case had “gone on long enough”.

Twice-convicted murderer Wendie-Sue Dent. Picture: AAP/Sam Wundke

David Lawrence, who was murdered by poisoner and black widow Wendie-Sue Dent. Picture: Supplied by the Lawrence family

“The costs to our family, since April this year, in four fruitless Supreme Court hearings, is almost $30,000,” he said.

“Surely this is an insult to the court system, the judge, the family and the matter.

“The astounding lack of rigour in the legal system is causing massive costs to innocent family members and greatly extending hearings – and they claim courts are clogged up?”

Dent, 66, of Dapto in NSW, has twice been convicted of murdering David, 63, in 2015 by using her medication, and with the intent of claiming his $300,000 estate for herself.

She has also sued the Lawrences, insisting she is David’s rightful beneficiary and should have sole control of his ashes – meaning he has never had a funeral.

The Lawrences argued her claims should be thrown out because, under Australian law, criminals forfeit any right to financially benefit from their actions.

That law, known as “the forfeiture rule”, was employed by the court last week to save the estate of domestic violence murder victim Jodie Jewell from her husband and killer, Kevin.

David Lawrence, third from left, with his family. Picture: Supplied by the Lawrence family

On July 4, Dent – who is serving a 25-year minimum term – told the court she was preparing to challenge her conviction in the High Court.

She was given 14 days to file an affidavit detailing her intentions for both the appeal and the civil case.

However that affidavit – which cannot be accessed by the public or media – was not filed until August 14.

It was accompanied by a request, drafted by Dent’s solicitor, that the case be postponed until the High Court has made its ruling.

“This application is for a stay of proceedings (and) is made on the grounds set out in the accompanying affidavit … the application is urgent,” it says.

Dent’s counsel will make submissions in support of their application on Monday.

On Friday, Dr Lawrence said his family had greatly benefited from the “ongoing advice, efforts and support” of their legal team, and was “in no way critical” of them.

However, he said being required to repeatedly go to court, and having to incur expenses, due to Dent’s lawsuits was distressing.

“After Dent’s (previous) appeal was dismissed in March, we wanted to get back into court, expecting to wrap up the civil action,” he said.

“Our expectation was the court would invoke the forfeiture rule – after all, there are few crimes more significant than murder.”