Magistrate orders accused Mayor Wayne Butcher to appear in person for hearing
Lockhart River Mayor Wayne Butcher has been ordered to appear personally in court for his domestic violence charges after a magistrate expressed frustration at delays.
Lockhart River Mayor Wayne Butcher, who is facing seven domestic violence related charges, has been ordered to appear personally in court when his matter is next mentioned in Cairns in February 2026.
Mr Butcher, 53, was arrested on June 28 last year, and charged with offences including strangulation, suffocation, deprivation of liberty and assault, and the matter has been mentioned many times in Cairns Magistrates Court.
This week, magistrate James Morton said Mr Butcher’s appearance would be required “in person” on the next occasion.
The court was told was told several witnesses would be called for cross examination when the matter comes to court again on February 25, 2026.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Stewart Clyde-Smith said the cross examination would likely take a day, and would include an expert witness.
A committal hearing can be used to test evidence, with a magistrate ruling on whether or not the evidence was sufficient to commit the matter to a higher court for trial.
Magistrate James Morton, made it clear to Mr Butcher’s defence lawyer Nick Westcott that “I’ll want him (Mr Butcher) here … in person”, setting the matter down for a directions hearing, or possible committal hearing with cross examination on February 25, 2026.
“The matters have been around for so, so long, and it’s been dragging on … it’s only when we put our foot on it, that it moves along,” Mr Morton said.
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Originally published as Magistrate orders accused Mayor Wayne Butcher to appear in person for hearing
