Maree Mavis Crabtree: Fears experts cannot answer key questions in mother-son murder case

The case against a mother accused of murdering her adult son hangs in the balance, and even an expert toxicologist may not be able to answer the crucial questions that have already caused a mistrial.

Maree Crabtree pictured leaving the Supreme Court after being granted bail. in February. Picture: David Clark

The case against a mother accused of murdering her adult son hangs in the balance, and even an expert toxicologist may not be able to answer the crucial questions that caused a mistrial earlier this year and continue to delay the prosecution, a court has heard.

Gold Coast mother Maree Mavis Crabtree is accused of giving her 26-year-old adult son, Jonathan, a fruit juice laced with a fatal dose of prescription medication in 2017, before allegedly claiming thousands of dollars from his life insurance payout afterwards.

During a trial which began in February, Crabtree pleaded not guilty to Jonathan’s murder, but a mistrial was declared after new evidence came to light.

The issues in question revolve around the testimony of Crabtree’s daughter, Tara, who claims she saw her mother putting the drugs into a blender for Jonathan’s fruit juice.

The key question is why do some of the drugs which Crabtree was said to have put into the blender not appear as either trace elements in test results for the blender, or in the toxicology report for substances found in Jonathan’s body?

Maree Crabtree and Jonathan Crabtree.

The Crabtree case was reviewed in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday. Crown prosecutor Philip McCarthy said the expert toxicologist’s report was due to be read in three weeks.

“The Crown is awaiting for the toxicologist … to see if he has any commentary and can account for any differences that might be between what was found in the blender, and the toxicology of what was found in the deceased’s body,” Mr McCarthy told the court.

“But I suspect his answer will be: ‘It depends upon how much of the drug was ingested, and it depends on how much of the drug was placed within the item’.”

Mr McCarthy said the initial toxicology report produced for the prosecution’s case said “there were just so many permutations as to what could take place”.

During the last case review in May, Justice Davis expressed concern that the case “seems to be going on forever”.

“It is unlikely, no matter what happens, that there will be a trial this year, if the matter proceeds,” he said.

On Monday, Justice Peter Davis adjourned the case to await the expert toxicology report. The matter will be heard again in Brisbane Supreme Court on July 19.

Crabtree remains on bail.