Hit-run murder case: Tyler James allegedly wanted Kiesha Thompson ‘maimed’

A man accused of having his girlfriend mow down his ex-partner with a four-wheel-drive told others he wanted her maimed, a court has heard.

Tyler Scott William James is accused of murdering Keisha Thompson

A man accused of murdering his ex-partner by having his new girlfriend mow her down in a large four-wheel-drive moments after she dropped her daughter to kindergarten allegedly told others he wanted her maimed and would “pay per limb”.

Tyler Scott William James, who is charged with the murder of Kiesha Thompson, has now been hit with two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice after allegedly trying to have witnesses change their police statements.

His bid for bail in Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday follows a grant of bail to his co-accused Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant, who allegedly ran down and killed Ms Thompson with a Toyota Prado in Logan last July.

Sant is charged with murder.

The Crown alleges James counselled Sant to murder the 23-year-old so he would become the sole parent of their young daughter that she had just dropped off Daisy Hill Early Learning Centre.

“That’s why the Crown says he went to the incredible and horrifying level of determining to organise to run his ex-partner over,” Crown prosecutor Michael Lehane said.

“This is a man the Crown says that will go to levels of extreme dangerousness to this community in trying to (become the sole parent) of that child.

“This was a plan to end a life.”

Mr Lehane said the child’s carer had expressed concern for their family if James was released.

“That’s not based on emotion. It’s based upon knowing what’s happened in the past,” Mr Lehane said.

Kiesha Thompson was run down after dropping her daughter to kindergarten.

The Crown alleges James previously made threats to Ms Thompson and “attempts to engage others to injure her”.

“In terms of that desire to kill, we have very distinct comments within the threats, as recorded by witnesses, of a clear preference that his partner no longer be on this earth,” Mr Lehane said.

This includes allegedly telling his brother Lachlan James in May 2024 that he “would be happy if she was dead and life would be easier if she was gone.”

The defendant allegedly told others he was willing to pay to have Ms Thompson’s legs broken so she couldn’t care for their child.

“He further stated that he wanted the deceased to be maimed and would be willing to pay per limb,” Mr Lehane claimed.

James also made up allegations about Ms Thompson and was “obsessional” about being the sole parent of the child, Mr Lehane alleged.

The court heard that while in custody James allegedly spoke to his mother about getting two witnesses to change their police statements.

“If I end up copping 20 years for that, I’ll lose it,” James was allegedly recorded saying in prison.

“Can someone go to his house or something? All we have to do is say that he’s under the influence or was coerced by the police and his statement doesn’t mean anything.”

Mr Lehane criticised the proposed bai address on Russell Island in Moreton Bay saying the only partially manned police station there meant James would not be properly supervised.

Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant is also charged with murder.

“There’s an unacceptable risk that he will try and influence other witnesses. He did try and do that when he was in prison being recorded, the prospect of him doing it in less onerous positions in terms of supervision … is very, very real,” he alleged.

But James barrister Matt Hynes said the alleged attempt to pervert justice phone calls were made just after his client had been taken into custody for the first time ever and at the time had been seriously assaulted resulting in a busted ear drum and facial injuries.

“It puts a different complexion on the way in which he said those words,” he argued.

“Someone that was desperate … someone that was clutching at straws, not someone who’s genuinely formulating a conniving plan to get people to change their statements.”

Mr Hynes said the wholly circumstantial case against his client had flaws and there were triable issues.

“There is no direct evidence of any plan to kill or any instruction to that effect,” he said.

Mr Hynes said his client’s alleged behaviour occurred in the context where he held concerns about the child’s wellbeing which he no longer held.

Mr Hynes said a witness described the Toyota Prado that hit Ms Thompson as coming around a corner and losing control.

“The way in which the car moved itself to affect the collision with the deceased are not clear cut that this was an entirely deliberate decision or deliberate action by the driver, who was not my client, he was not even in the car,” he said.

Kiesha Thompson died outside Daisy Hill Early Learning Centre.

If his client was granted bail he would be living under virtual house arrest given the stringent conditions which included no smart phone and a GPS ankle bracelet.

Justice Lincoln Crowley said he considered the current case to be strong. The court heard James, a mechanic, allegedly printed off false number plates matching a Toyota Prado registered in Victoria for sale on Facebook.

Witnesses who saw some of the alleged running down of Ms Thompson gave a description of the Prado having a number plate that somewhat matched the one for sale on Facebook.

After the crash the Prado, which was registered to Sant, was seen entering a Loganholme carpark with number plates matching the one on Facebook. When it left two minutes later CCTV showed it leaving with its Queensland number plates on, the court heard.

During a search of James’ Acacia Ridge home police allegedly found a face mask, gloves and vehicle stickers in the bin consistent with those that had been stuck to the Prado.

“The allegations are concerning, on the Crown case this was a planned offence which has been planned for some time, two months of events involving the applicant counselling procuring or recruiting his new partner to run down his ex-partner in the context of … ongoing animosities he had towards his ex partner,” he said.

In an affidavit James said he was not guilty of the charges, would be disputing them and had no reason to flee, the court heard.

Bail was refused.

Originally published as Hit-run murder case: Tyler James allegedly wanted Kiesha Thompson ‘maimed’