Rockhampton woman accused of husband’s murder denied bail

A Rockhampton woman charged with the stabbing murder of her husband has been denied bail after the court heard she made attempts to interfere with key witnesses.

A Rockhampton woman who is charged with the stabbing murder of her husband has been refused bail, because of the risk of her interfering with key witnesses.

Kerrie Lee Catling was charged in August with the murder of Chris Catling, 51, who died on March 22, as a result of a single stab wound by a knife to his chest.

Justice David Boddice said there was material showing Ms Catling had engaged in subtle behaviour with witnesses to advance a version of events consistent with her account of a longstanding domestic violence relationship.

Justice Boddice said Ms Catling had been prepared to do that in a phone conversation with a person who had no memory of the domestic violence.

Kerrie Catling has been charged over the alleged murder of her husband Chris Catling.

“That is behaviour which goes to the heart of an interference with witnesses,” Justice Boddice said in the Supreme Court in Brisbane today.

The court heard police received two triple-0 calls on the day of the alleged murder, the first from a male, with a female voice heard in the background, before it was terminated.

A second triple-0 call was made by Ms Catling nine minutes later.

Police who responded found Mr Catling unresponsive in a lounge chair in the couple’s North Rockhampton home, with a knife on the ground near his right hand.

He had no defensive wounds, the court heard.

Justice Boddice said the downward trajectory of the knife went from the top of the chest into Mr Catling’s heart, with the wound 12 centimetres deep.

Chris Catling died on March 22, 2021.

Justice Boddice said the mobile phone Mr Catling is believed to have used to make the first triple-0 call was found in the kitchen, damaged but with no blood on it or blood trail to it.

He said it was not clear if the phone was disabled, but if it was, the damage must have occurred after the first triple-0 call.

Ms Catling has claimed that she and Mr Catling had a long standing domestic violence relationship, the court heard.

Justice Boddice said the Crown alleged new witness statements were consistent with Ms Catling having had conversations with them to remind them of the domestic violence.

The Crown also raised concerns about her previously having allegedly engaged in fraudulent behaviour.

Kerrie Catling has been denied bail.

Justice Boddice said at the time of Mr Catling’s death the couple had financial issues and Ms Catling had engaged in deliberate subterfuge, creating a false persona of a bank manager.

The judge said he was satisfied that there was an unacceptable risk that Ms Catling would interfere with material witnesses, if she was released on bail, even with conditions.

He refused bail.