‘No evidence’: Defence says no factual basis for case against Greg Lynn

A jury in the trial of accused high country killer Greg Lynn has been told by his defence that prosecutors have “no evidence” he murdered missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay and that he is being “wrongly blamed”.

Carol Clay and Russell Hill were allegedly murdered during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020.

Lawyers for accused High Country killer Greg Lynn have told a jury there is “no evidence” he murdered missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

The former airline pilot, 57, is standing trial in the Supreme Court for the murders of retirees Mr Hill, 74, and Mrs Clay, 73, who vanished during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020.

Now in the fifth week of the trial, Mr Lynn’s defence barrister Dermot Dann KC delivered his closing address on Wednesday, telling the jury the prosecution had “no evidence” to prove the charges.

“You’re being asked to find a man guilty of murder, there’s on the prosecution case, zero factual foundation, zero motive,” he said.

“Just a complete blank, does that sit well with any of you?

“There’s no evidence.”

Lynn ‘wrongly blamed’

Mr Dann said the prosecution failed to challenge Mr Lynn on key aspects of his account or his “post-death conduct” of destroying evidence and disposing of the pair’s bodies.

The prosecution claims the “only explanation” for Mr Lynn’s actions after their deaths was that he murdered them and was concealing his involvement.

But Mr Dann said his client had told police he feared he would be blamed for their deaths.

“He was 100 per cent correct,” he said.

“He is being wrongly blamed.”

Defence barrister Dermot Dann KC accused the prosecution of using ‘desperate and ill-fated’ manoeuvres in their case against his client. Picture: Diego Fedele

Mr Lynn was “selfish” and “callous” for disposing of the bodies but he had admitted what he had done and apologised to Mr Hill and Mrs Clay’s families, the defence barrister said.

“You can’t just say, look, this man engaged in terrible conduct … let’s just convict him of murder,” he said.

Mr Dann also pointed out his client’s account was not challenged during cross-examination and the prosecution instead “threw in the towel”.

“That was the moment, ladies and gentlemen, when the prosecution case was all over,” he said.

Mr Lynn said his client stepped down from the witness box “totally unscathed” because he was speaking the truth.

Crown prosecutor Daniel Porceddu earlier conceded the prosecution could not say the motive or the precise circumstances of the pair’s murders, other than that Mrs Clay was “shot to the head”.

Mr Dann says Greg Lynn was ‘selfish’ and ‘callous’ to destroy evidence but that he admitted to that and apologised. Picture: Supplied

‘Lowlights’ of the prosecution case

Mr Dann said the prosecution were relying on incriminating conduct to argue their case, but they did not put this to Mr Lynn during cross-examination.

He said that broke court procedures related to fairness.

“That failure is devastating to their case,” he said.

Mr Dann took the jury through 17 “lowlights” of the prosecution case which featured “desperate and ill-fated” manoeuvres.

The lowest point, he said, was the prosecution closing address in which false statements were made that were never put to Mr Lynn.

“It was a disgraceful performance,” he said.

He said the prosecution also failed to present any evidence about Mr Hill’s experience with firearms and his mental health struggles.

Expert prosecution witnesses were accused by the defence of peddling “half-baked” theories related to trajectory and firearm testing.

Mr Dann said the prosecution wasted time by exploring evidence which was not in dispute.

Crown prosecutor Daniel Porceddu says Mr Lynn’s version of events is ‘completely fanciful’. Picture: Diego Fedele

Mr Lynn claims the missing campers were accidentally killed in separate struggles involving a shotgun and knife after a dispute over Mr Hill’s drone.

Fearing he would be blamed for their deaths, he admitted bundling their bodies in his trailer, dumping them in remote bush before returning eight months later and setting fire to their remains.

In his closing address on Tuesday, Mr Porceddu urged the jury to reject Mr Lynn’s “completely fanciful” version of events.

The trial continues.

Judge apologises for delay

Justice Michael Croucher apologised to the jury after an hour and a half delay meant the trial did not resume until about 12.15pm on Wednesday.

He explained there had been a technical issue related to recordings.

“It’s actually held up other cases … so sorry about that,” he said.

On Tuesday, a young man appeared to faint in the upstairs public gallery just before lunch.

On Wednesday, Justice Croucher told the jury the man quickly recovered and was helped out by security “hopefully with a pat on his back”.