Payne Haas’ mum Joan Taufua displaying ‘aberrant’ behaviour before triple fatal crash
The mother of Broncos prop Payne Haas accused of killing three people in a Gold Coast crash was displaying “very aberrant behaviour” in the lead up, a court has heard.
The mother of a star Broncos player facing three counts of manslaughter was displaying “very aberrant behaviour” in the lead up to the horrific collision on the Gold Coast, a court has heard.
Uiatu “Joan” Taufua, the mother of gun Brisbane prop Payne Haas, is accused of killing three people in a horrific Gold Coast hinterland crash nearly three years ago.
Police have alleged that she fled from a police patrol car on December 30, 2022, before ploughing into an oncoming vehicle just minutes later carrying Steffi Zimmer, her mother Susan Zimmer and her mother’s former partner Chris Fawcett. All three died at the scene in Bonogin and Taufua, the sole survivor, was charged with three counts of manslaughter.
Her defence team headed by barrister Martin Longhurst has been attempting to secure a psychiatric report that will form the basis of a submission to prosecutors before her arraignment next month.
The report and submission had been ordered to be provided to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Office by Thursday however delays in accessing data held on her phone, said to speak to her mental state in the lead up to the crash, has held up the process.
“The time leading up to the driving the defendant had been displaying very aberrant behaviour with respect to a recently deceased disabled child that included … going for frequent walks at all hours in the morning, communicating with family members that she was taking her son for a walk in his wheelchair. That she had been given messages by her son,” Mr Longhurst said.
Mr Longhurst said text messages on her phone along with movement data on it were said to corroborate the behaviour.
The messages to family had been straightforward to obtain but there was difficulty accessing the data contained in a Strava-like app, Brisbane’s Supreme Court heard.
The NSW based psychiatrist who is compiling the report has spoken to Taufua and family members.
Justice Lincoln Crowley said he would allow the defence more time to obtain the report but the case “can’t keep dragging on like this”.
“There has already been unacceptable delays to date,” he said.
The psychiatric report and defence submission was ordered to be provided to the DPP by November 11
The matter was listed for arraignment on November 20.
Legal submissions to the DPP are regularly made by counsel and can include everything from negotiating the alleged facts of a case to arguments for a charge downgrade.
Originally published as Payne Haas’ mum Joan Taufua displaying ‘aberrant’ behaviour before triple fatal crash
