Buderim killer's crime “gross and unforgivable” court hears

THE way a Buderim man dumped the mother of his child in the boot of her car and then set it alight was “gross and unforgivable”, his defence lawyer told a jury.

Sunshine Coast murder victim Noelene Beutel.

THE way a Buderim man dumped the mother of his child in the boot of her car and then set it alight was "gross and unforgivable", his defence lawyer told a jury.

But barrister Greg McGuire said his client, Wayn Edward Raymond McClutchie, already had admitted he killed Noelene Beutel, 35, during a violent confrontation and then tried to get rid of her body in a fire in Tanawha bushland.

He said the jury might loathe him for his actions because they could never be excused morally, but they must focus on whether, legally, he intended to murder the former Toowoomba woman in June, 2011.

"This was clearly a volatile relationship," he said, noting they both had substance abuse problems.

"There had been some domestic violence, but there are two sides to every story.

"There was an argument going at the time of the throwing of a punch."

Mr McGuire said Mr McClutchie had been trying to stop Ms Beutel leaving with their child to get another amphetamine shot from a friend when he had punched her in the head.

Mr McClutchie, who turned 38 last week, has pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court to murder.

Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the jury how Ms Beutel had told several friends how McClutchie had repeatedly threatened to kill her and their daughter.

He said she told one friend the relationship was over and she was going back to Toowoomba just two days before she died.

Mr Meredith said Mr McClutchie called a friend who followed him out to bushland at Tanawha where he dumped the car and then returned with a jerry can.

McClutchie told his friend "I f***ing killed her, bro, and torched the car", he said.

Mr Meredith said Mr McClutchie admitted that he punched her at "10/10" strength and then her head then hit a hard surface.

He said Mr McClutchie used a wheelie bin to get her to the boot of the car and then hosed out the blood from the garage.

The trial continues.