Poison murderer Wendie-Sue Dent seeks total acquittal in High Court, continues bid to claim her victim’s $300k estate and his ashes

Poisoner Wendie-Sue Dent has made a bold legal move – but her victim’s family say that doesn’t change the battle for his assets and ashes.

Twice-convicted black widow poisoning murderer Wendie-Sue Dent has asked the nation’s highest court to clear her name by ordering a complete acquittal, rather than a retrial.

In a bold move on Thursday, counsel for Dent finally filed their long-delayed application, to the High Court, for special leave to appeal her conviction for murdering David Lawrence.

The papers were lodged just hours prior to the latest hearing in Dent’s nine-year lawsuit battle with David’s family, and well after the deadline set by Judge Graham Dart.

Dent’s criminal case barrister, top silk and former District Court judge Marie Shaw KC, appeared on her client’s behalf and apologised for the delay.

Convicted murderer Wendie-Sue Dent. Picture: Facebook

David Lawrence, who was murdered by Dent. Picture: Supplied by the Lawrence family

“I undertook to provide the application for special leave within a certain period of time,” she said.

“As a result of circumstances outside of my control, I was not able to complete it until yesterday.

“It’s now been filed and it, in fact, seeks an order of the High Court that there be an acquittal.”

She said she would argue, on Dent’s behalf, that the method by which her client was said to have poisoned David was never properly proven, and was therefore “unfounded” at law.

“The argument to the High Court is that, because of that outcome, there should be a verdict of acquittal rather than a retrial,” she said.

Despite having twice been convicted of murdering David, with her own medication, in 2015, Dent continues to insist she is the sole beneficiary of his $300,000 estate.

She also took out an injunction to prevent his family from interring David’s ashes, and asked they be ordered to pay her $10,000 compensation for “treating her poorly”.

As a result, David has never had a funeral, and the Lawrences have spent $30,000 on court fees, in the past four months alone, arguing her lawsuits should be thrown out.

A page of the handwritten will upon which Dent’s claims are based. Source: Supreme Court.

Dent during the first of her two murder trials. Picture: Sam Wundke

On Thursday, Simon Ower KC, for the Lawrences, said his clients maintained the handwritten will at the centre of Dent’s claims was legally invalid, entitling her to nothing.

Ms Shaw objected to that submission, saying there was no evidence to suggest the will was “a forgery”.

Mr Ower said that was not his clients’ case – they would argue the will was created without the consent or involvement of David, and therefore did not represent his final wishes.

“Whether she’s guilty of murder or not, this will is not revelant,” he said.

He asked a hearing be set down so that he could seek to have Dent’s claims summarily dismissed, but Judge Dart said there was “another way” to end the dispute.

Judge Dart said Dent had already promised to “walk away” from her lawsuits if she failed in the High Court, and asked Ms Shaw to seek to have that promise formalised.

He adjourned the matter until October, pending the decision of the High Court.