Tiahleigh Palmer murder accused Rick Foster applies for judge-only trial

THE foster father charged with the murder of Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer will make a rare request from the judge ahead of his trial.

THE foster father charged with the murder of Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, will apply to have a rare judge-only trial.

Rick Thorburn was last year committed to stand trial for his foster daughter’s murder and a charge of interfering with a corpse.

Thorburn’s solicitor Adam Guest today told Supreme Court Justice David Boddice Thorburn wanted to apply for his trial to be heard before a judge only, and not before a jury.

Mr Guest asked for up to two days for a hearing of the application.

Justice Boddice set it down for half a day on June 27.

Tiahleigh Palmer’s decomposing body was discovered on the banks of the Pimpama River, on the northern Gold Coast, six days after she went missing in October 2015.

Thorburn was arrested and charged in September 2016, almost a year after Tiahleigh’s body was found.

Tiahleigh had been living with the Thorburn family in their Chambers Flat home, south of Brisbane.

Tiahleigh’s mother was at the Supreme Court today for the mention of the case.

Originally published as Tiahleigh Palmer murder accused Rick Foster applies for judge-only trial