Deborah, Joshua Mason face court over severed leg in alleged Stuart Hwy hit and run

‘Had the leg not been discovered this person would have just been a missing persons statistics’.

A MOTHER and son allegedly conspired to bury a woman’s body in a shallow grave on a rural road to cover up a brutal hit and run.

The Darwin Local Court heard the Aboriginal woman may have become “another missing person’s statistic” if her disembodied lower leg was not found by the side of the Stuart Hwy.

Deborah Karen Mason sobbed quietly in the dock as Judge Therese Austin told the mother-of-three she would spend more time behind bars while her bail application was considered.

The 50-year-old and her son Joshua Gary Mason, 23, allegedly attempted to bury the body of the woman on Jenkins Rd, Virginia, after a crash on the highway on Monday evening.

Their barrister Peter Maley told Ms Austin his clients were both expected to enter guilty pleas for their role in the alleged fatal crash cover-up.

“She had made full admissions. It’s going to be a plea of guilty,” Mr Maley said in Deborah’s bail hearing.

“There is going to be some negotiation with the charges in due course.”

Police alleged Joshua hit the Aboriginal woman with his car while driving on the Stuart Hwy near Coolalinga.

The court heard that while he and a female bystander searched the area, Joshua called his mother for help.

“They looked around to see what, if anything he had hit, and they couldn’t find anything,” Ms Austin said.

“But Mr Mason knew he had struck something with his vehicle, and was not confident at all that he had not hit a person.”

The court heard the woman left the scene believing police were on their way but the Masons never contacted triple-0.

It was alleged they drove to Deborah’s home, and later drove back to retrieve the woman.

“They then took the body, put it in the car and drove off with it,” Ms Austin alleged.

“They formed the intention at that stage to dispose of the deceased and not call the authorities.”

Police allege the pair dumped the woman’s body in an unmarked grave at Jenkins Rd, Virginia.

Ms Austin held her hand to her forehead as she read the police brief, before stating the evidence seemed “overwhelming”.

Summary prosecutor Jessica McLean alleged their attempt to destroy the evidence and pervert the course of justice could have been successful – had they not left some gruesome evidence behind.

“There is a concern that had the leg not been discovered this person would have just been a missing persons statistics,” Ms McLean said.

Ms McLean described the 50-year-old mother’s alleged role as “premeditated”, “self-serving” and “callous” behaviour.

“She moved the body to avoid her son getting caught,” she said.

“She showed complete disregard for the victim by inhumanely disposing the body.”

Ms McLean said even after the discovery of the woman’s leg by passing motorists, the Masons still did not come forward.

“They chose to remain silent,” she said.

“It shows a complete disregard for the death of the victim.”

Ms McLean said there was a strong crown case, with blood found in the trailer of Deborah’s vehicle, bloody towels in her laundry, witnesses who reported seeing her hosing the gore from the back of the ute.

Judge Therese Austin. Picture: Supplied

The 50-year-old woman clasped her hands together as the details of her case were read aloud.

Mr Maley said his clients were caught in a “tragic set of circumstances”.

“The son has been involved in a car accident and should he have stopped it seems there is almost no charge that would have been laid,” Mr Maley said.

Joshua did not make an application for bail.

Mr Maley said his mother had strong bail prospects, with deep links to the Territory and a clean criminal history.

He pointed at his client in the dock to say: “The court can have real confidence that this mother-of-three will be in court when she is required to in July”.

“Her whole life is looking after her three (adult) kids.”

“Her financial life, her social life and her family life are all rooted in Darwin.

“She has nowhere to go.”

Ms Austin said it was highly likely Deborah would face an actual prison term, with the charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carrying a 15-year maximum jail term.

She ordered that an assessment be made but made no assurances that Deborah would be granted bail.

“I don’t often order a report when I’m teetering on not granting bail,” Ms Austin said.

“With Ms Mason I have serious concerns.

“There was indeed potentially a callous disregard for the death of this woman.

“In my view the strength of the case is overwhelming.”

Joshua was charged with hit and run, two counts of misconduct to a corpse, attempting to pervert the course of justice and destroying evidence.

Deborah was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence and misconduct with a corpse.

Ms Austin said the 50-year-old’s application would be assessed on June 14.

Both Deborah and her son will also return to Darwin Local Court on July 27 for a preliminary examination mention.

INITIAL 12PM: A MOTHER allegedly helped her son drag a woman’s body off the highway to cover up a horrific hit and run.

Police will allege the gristly plot by Deborah Karen Mason, 50, and Joshua Gary Mason, 23, was undone by a severed leg left behind on a Northern Territory highway.

The Masons appeared in Darwin Local Court on Friday, with their charges including hit and run, misconduct to a corpse and destroying evidence.

Both mother and son wore Covid masks over their face, but no shoes, as they sat together in the witness box.

Their barrister Peter Maley told Judge Therese Austin that Deborah would be applying for bail on Friday afternoon but her son would remain behind bars.

Mr Maley indicated the 23-year-old intended to make a guilty plea to the incident, which include charges of hit and run, two counts of misconduct to a corpse, attempt to pervert the course of justice and destroy evidence.

“Can it be noted that the matter is likely to resolve by a plea of guilty,” Mr Maley said.

“I’m going to write to the Crown with a proposal.

“It’s going to resolve sensibly.”

The Mason’s first mention hearing comes three days after motorists spotted the bloody human remains on the Stuart Hwy, near Coolalinga, on Tuesday morning.

Police confirmed the lower leg and foot belonged to an Aboriginal woman, with her body found days later dumped on a side road off the highway.

NT Police investigate after human remains were found on the Stuart Hwy, Coolalinga on Tuesday, May 31.

Police will allege Joshua was driving along the Stuart Hwy, near Coolalinga, on Monday evening, May 30, when he hit the woman.

It was alleged Deborah helped him to remove the body, dumping her on Jenkins Rd, Virginia.

Police allege Deborah and her 23-year-old son removed the Aboriginal woman’s body in an attempt to conceal the crime.

On Wednesday, police allegedly spotted a car matching the suspect vehicle at a Palmerston area home.

Joshua was arrested, his car was seized and a search warrant was executed on the property

Deborah was later arrested at a Winnellie home, with a second vehicle seized.

It was close to midnight on Wednesday when police recovered the body of the suspected hit-and-run victim on Jenkins Rd, Virginia.

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said police believed they had identified the victim but further forensic testing would confirm her identity, and her possible family had been contacted.

Joshua was charged with hit and run, misconduct to a corpse and destroying evidence.

Deborah was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence and misconduct with a corpse.

Deborah will return to Darwin Local Court on Friday afternoon for a bail hearing.

A preliminary examination mention for both Joshua and Deborah will be held on July 27.