Pre-trial hearing: Jack Gardiner tells court about search for sister Toyah Cordingley

The younger brother of Toyah Cordingley has recounted the night he searched in thick scrubland for his missing sister at Wangetti Beach in Cairns Supreme Court.

The younger brother of Toyah Cordingley has recounted the night he searched in thick scrubland for his missing sister at Wangetti Beach in Cairns Supreme Court.

The pre-trial hearing of Rajwinder Singh, 38, who is charged with murdering Toyah at Wangetti Beach on October 21, 2018, is under way.

The pre trial hearing for Rajwinder Singh, who has been charged with the murder of Tyah Cordingley, 24, at Wangetti Beach on October 21, 2018, is underway in Cairns Supreme Court. Picture: Supplied

Jack Gardiner, Toyah’s half-sibling, told the court he found out Toyah was missing in the early hours of October 22 because his sister Layna was trying to call him.

He said he went to the house Toyah shared with her boyfriend Marco Heidenreich and got on Toyah’s laptop to look at her Facebook account to see if he could identify anyone called “Tyson”.

Toyah had sent a text message to Marco at 3.17pm that she had to pick “Tyson” up from the airport between 7pm an 8pm and they did not know a “Tyson”.

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions barristers Emily Thambyah and senior crown prosecutor Nathan Crane leave the Cairns Supreme Court on the first day of the pre-trial hearing for Rajwinder Singh. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Singh’s defence barrister Angus Edwards KC asked if he was suspicious of Marco.

“We were just trying to find answers, I had no suspicions at that point,” Mr Gardiner said.

He said he returned home with his mother, who made calls, they picked up Toyah’s father Troy Cordingley, and went to Wangetti Beach about 2am.

“Initially it was just the three of us,” he said.

Detective Sergeant Matthew Mattock was questioned at length about CCTV footage of vehicles at the Clifton Beach intersection.

Darren and Vanessa Gardiner, the stepfather and mother of slain 24-year-old Toyah, appeal to the public for information following the death of their daughter at Wangetti Beach in October 2018.

Police analysed 219 vehicles between 5.02pm and 5.08pm and after about five days, got to a point where all but a blue Alfa Romeo were excluded, the court heard.

Two witnesses were questioned at length about the technicalities and accuracy of mobile cell tower signals and mobile data gathering.

The pre-trial hearing ran on April 29 and 30 in Cairns, and is set to reconvene on June 3.

Mr Singh, who appeared relaxed in the dock, wearing a white turban and white shirt and a blue suit, and sporting a long grey beard, made notes throughout proceedings.

He has maintained his innocence.

A jury trial is set for July 22.

Originally published as Pre-trial hearing: Jack Gardiner tells court about search for sister Toyah Cordingley