Counsel for Alex Ross Gill, accused over fatal boat crash that killed cousin, savage expert evidence report
Prosecutors building their case against a man accused of killing his cousin in a boat crash are using the worst expert report commissioned in the past 30 years, a court has been told.
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An expert report blaming a man for his cousin’s boat crash death is “quite frankly incompetent” and “the worst seen in 30 years” a court has heard.
On Tuesday, counsel for Alexander Ross Gill savaged a crash reconstruction report commissioned by SA Police against their client.
Michael Woods, for Gill, said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions maintained his client was guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, despite the report’s defects.
“Quite frankly, I’m disappointed that charge determination has been made (by the DPP),” he said.
“There’s a so-called ‘expert report’, which is the worst report I’ve seen in 30 years … (the author has) no expertise, no opinion, and has not based it on anything.
“It is, quite frankly, incompetent … now I understand the DPP wants three months to get a proper expert report and effectively start again.”
Gill, 39, of Williamstown, is charged with causing the death of Chad Gill, and harm to Glen Justice, as well as attempting to impede a police investigation.
The charges arise from a 4am incident at Swan Reach in February, when one boat — allegedly operated by Gill — crashed into a second occupied by Chad Gill and Mr Justice.
Initially, police believed only one boat had been involved in the incident but, after Chad — a father of three — died in hospital, they arrested Gill.
It was the second time in four years that the extended Gill family has experienced tragedy relating to a crash.
In 2015, Chad’s father-in-law, Michael Tully, was killed in a vehicle crash at Springton.
On Tuesday, prosecutor Tracey Nelson acknowledged the DPP was seeking a report of its own.
“I can only take, at face value, what Mr Woods has said in relation to the existing reconstruction report … I have no knowledge of it,” she said.
“There is also an extensive list of outstanding material in relation to issues about the accident and the boat (including) reports on moon conditions and the engine.”
She asked for 18 weeks to obtain those materials, but Magistrate Jayanthi McGrath said that “seemed excessive”.
She remanded Gill on continuing bail to face court again in January, but ordered all materials be provided to defence within 10 weeks.