Slain mum Kym Cobby’s final screams before violent end captured on camera

Confronting audio is expected to be played to the Supreme Court jury in the trial of Kym Cobby’s estranged husband Andrew Cobby, who is accused of murdering her in November 2017.

Slain mum Kym Cobby’s screams in the final moments of her life before her bloodied body was discovered in her driveway were captured by a neighbour’s security system, prosecutors say.

The “confronting” audio is expected to be played to the Supreme Court jury in the trial of Ms Cobby’s estranged husband Andrew Cobby, 59, who is accused of murdering her in November 2017.

Crown prosecutor Philip McCarthy QC said it was alleged a neighbouring security system of her Gold Coast Hinterland property captured Ms Cobby’s screams, including words that sound like “Andrew please”.

Mr McCarthy said the mother-of-three’s body was discovered by her brother-in-law Craig Eden when he arrived home late from work and that the prosecution alleged his arrival interrupted the attack on Ms Cobby.

Murder victim Kym Cobby.

Mr Eden, a security guard, gave evidence he did not recognise his sister-in-law when he first discovered her body in their driveway, only realising her identity after he had checked for a pulse and phoned Triple 0.

Mr McCarthy said it was alleged Cobby had borrowed his flatmate’s car and a hammer, both of which were found near Ms Cobby’s lifeless body, and said a forensic expert would give evidence the hammer claw appeared to match injuries on her skull.

“The crown contends that the hammer was used in attack on Ms Cobby, the attack that ended her life,” he said.

Mr McCarthy said the jury would hear medical evidence that Ms Cobby had died from asphyxia and that it was alleged Mr Cobby was later found in a nearby driveway by a member of the police dog squad.

He said the jury was expected to hear evidence that scrapings taken underneath Ms Cobby’s fingernails matched the DNA of Mr Cobby and that bloodstains found on his clothing matched the DNA of his estranged wife.

The prosecutor said Mr Cobby claimed he went to his the woman’s home on the night of the attack because she was concerned for her safety and that they were ambushed by a man with short black hair wearing a dark shirt.

He said the court would hear a recorded phone call between Mr Cobby and his son which took place shortly after the mother’s body was discovered.

Andrew Cobby is taken into Southport Watchhouse and charged with the Worongary murder of his wife. Photo: 9 Gold Coast News #

“We will hear in the first recording the defendant repeatedly describes himself as a coward and repeatedly says that he failed to protect Ms Cobby,” he said.

“In the first recording he repeatedly asks if Ms Cobby is okay and the crown invites you to reject the account of the defendant in this trial.”

The prosecutor said Cobby told police that his estranged wife possibly screamed his name when the attack began and that he tried to protect her from the assailant, but he was pushed back multiple times.

“You’ll hear the defendant assert that at one stage he was hit to the back of the head whilst he was laying over Kym trying to protect her and the defendant informed the detectives that he knew he was next so he did the cowardly thing and ran,” Mr McCarthy said.

Defence Barrister Tony Kimmins said the jury would hear evidence that the Cobby family had been threatened in the lead up to Kym’s death due to investment deals made by her estranged husband.

“Over a period of time there had been a number of people whom he (Andrew) had been involved in investing money with and … there had been a falling out in relation to that,” Mr Kimmins said.

“And you’ll hear there were in fact complaints made by Mrs Cobby that she had received threats personally herself and also she and her children had been threatened by persons associated through the investment with Andrew.

Gold Coast man Andrew Cobby charged with murder of ex-wife Kym following Worongary attack

“The submission by the defence at the end of the day is that you will have great problems in coming to a conclusion beyond reasonable doubt that the prosecution have established that Andrew Cobby murdered Kym Cobby, especially in the light of her concerns in relation to large number of people presented to the police by her shortly before her death.”

Cobby has pleaded not guilty to the single charge of murder and his trial continues before Justice Peter Callaghan.

Justice Callaghan warned the jury that there would be “distressing materials” throughout the trial which is slated to run for at least three weeks with more than 50 witnesses expected to be called.

“Mr Cobby of course denies any involvement in her death but I do not believe that it will be disputed that in this case death was caused by the infliction of considerable violence,” he said.

“I understand parts of the attack on Kym Cobby was captured on an audio recording, you will be required to listen to that.

“This is not a television drama, these things actually happened, there will be evidence about them and it will be confronting.”

Originally published as Slain mum Kym Cobby’s final screams before violent end captured on camera