Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster brother to defend burglary charge with taxpayer funded legal aid

The foster brother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer will defend a burglary charge in court with a taxpayer-funded lawyer, a court has been told.

The foster brother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer who is charged with an alleged burglary at a camping store has been granted legal aid funding, a court has been told.

Trent Jordan Thorburn, the son of child killer Rick Thorburn, was excused from turning up on Wednesday when his matter was briefly mentioned before Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

Trent Thorburn leaves Beenleigh Magistrates Court in July following his first appearance on a burglary charge. Picture: Natasha Emeck

Mr Thorburn, 24, is alleged to have been involved in a burglary at a camping store in Brisbane’s south two months ago, where up to $22,000 worth of outdoor gear was stolen.

On Wednesday, his legal aid lawyer said a four-week adjournment was needed for further case conferencing over the matter.

The court was told legal aid was initially refused at Mr Thorburn’s first appearance in July.

However, it was granted after he appealed the decision earlier this month.

Trent Thorburn (pictured) is alleged to have been involved in a burglary where up to $22,000 worth of camping gear was stolen from a shopping centre in Brisbane’s south.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Darrel Armfield said police were yet to correspond with Mr Thorburn’s legal team over any “possible resolution” of the matter.

“It’s appropriate we adjourn for that to be looked into,” Sergeant Armfield said.

Mr Thorburn will return to court on September 22. His bail was continued.

Police have previously alleged in court he broke into the 4WD Supacentre at Parkinson with a group of teenagers on June 25.

Thousands of dollars worth of gear, including a swag, gazebo and tent, was loaded into a white Nissan Patrol.

It is further alleged more gear was loaded into four more utes that arrived shortly after.

Mr Thorburn was the only person charged over the alleged incident.

At an earlier court appearance last month, he attended with his mother.

On that occasion, Mr Thorburn was excused from appearing before a magistrate and had his matter administratively adjourned.

The alleged burglary charge comes just weeks after he gave evidence at a coronial inquest into Tiahleigh’s death.

Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) was murdered in 2015 by Trent Thorburn’s father Rick.

Deputy state coroner Jane Bentley found Mr Thorburn’s father Rick had deliberately killed the 12-year-old on October 30, 2015.

Rick Thorburn was jailed for life for Tiahleigh’s murder in 2018.

Rick Thorburn (pictured) tearfully confessed at a coronial inquest into Tiahleigh Palmer’s death that he may have “accidentally” suffocated the 12-year-old in October 2015.