‘So much evidence’: Twist in woodchipper murder trial

A Supreme Court judge has announced a major change in the trial of a woman accused of murdering her ex-partner, a court has heard.

Gregory Roser and Sharon Graham have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bruce Saunders near Gympie in 2017. Credit: Supplied

A Supreme Court judge has ordered a woman accused of murdering her ex-partner should be tried separately from the man police allege carried out the killing before placing the body in a woodchipper.

Justice Martin Burns this afternoon told the jury he had decided Sharon Graham, who had pleaded not guilty to murder of Bruce Saunders, should be tried separately.

Victim Bruce Saunders. Picture: Supplied

Justice Burns said sometimes it was too much to ask of a jury to give separate consideration to the cases against each accused.

“That would be where there is just so much evidence that you need to put out of your minds, especially where some of that evidence is highly prejudicial, that to ask you to give the cases separate consideration would be asking you to perform impossible mental gymnastics,” he said.

“So far as the case against Ms Graham is concerned that point has been reached.

“After hearing arguments from counsel this morning, I decided that Ms Graham should be tried separately to Mr Roser.”

The trial of Gregory Lee Roser who the crown alleges killed Mr Saunders at a property near Gympie in November 2017 will continue.

Roser has pleaded not guilt to murder