Mum charged with murder of own children released after six years in jail
Maree Crabtree pumped her fists and mouthed “yeah” as she was granted bail, but was silent as she walked free from the Supreme Court on Wednesday night. SEE THE VIDEO
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Maree Mavis Crabtree has walked from the front doors of the Supreme Court of Queensland to spend her first night in the community in more than six years.
Crabtree, who celebrated in court pumping her fists, and repeatedly mouthing “yeah” in celebration as she was granted bail, was silent as she left court.
She did not answer questions from media and covered her face as she left the court just before 6.30pm, almost seven hours after she was granted bail.
Her release took hours as she waited to sign bail and have an electronic ankle monitor fitted.
Her case will be mentioned again in March.
It was more than six years ago that she was arrested for the alleged murders of her adult children Jonathan and Erin.
The crown opposed Crabtree’s bail application in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday, saying there were concerns she could interfere with witnesses, particularly her surviving daughter Tara who alleges her mother murdered her siblings.
But Justice Peter Davis said Crabtree’s continued detention while she awaited trial amid significant delays was no longer justified, reiterating comments he made a day earlier questioning the strength of the crown case on both murder charges.
Crabtree repeatedly pumped her fists as Justice Davis revealed she would be released on bail to live with a friend.
Justice Davis said the crown’s case heavily relied upon Tara’s evidence which had been called into question by allegations she destroyed evidence, changed her story and suffered from severe mental health issues.
“The crown case in relation to the death of Jonathan therefore faces severe difficulty,” he said.
“In relation to the offences concerning Erin, that case is purely circumstantial and it too in my view has shortcomings.”
Crabtree’s trial for the alleged murder of Jonathan began last week, but was abandoned days after it began when new information emerged.
The court heard the information came in the form of more than 2500 pages of documents that the parties needed to examine, and gave rise for further information to be subpoenaed from a government body.
In granting the mistrial application brought by defence barrister Angus Edwards KC on Tuesday, Justice Davis took aim at the crown case, asking if it should continue in light of weaknesses, specifically the evidence of the key witness Tara.
Crown Prosecutor Philip McCarthy KC on Wednesday said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was considering its position on the future of the murder charges in light of Justice Davis’s remarks on Tuesday.
Crabtree was released on bail with conditions including that she reside with a lawyer friend and wear an electronic monitoring device.
She was also prohibited from approaching within a four kilometre “exclusion zone” of Tara’s home and banned from talking to her daughter and other crown witnesses.
Originally published as Mum charged with murder of own children released after six years in jail
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