Timothy Hunt seeks WA defence lawyer ahead of Tony Rowe murder court hearings
No lawyers were in a Darwin court to represent Tony Rowe’s alleged murderer as he applied for more time to defend his case. See why he is fighting for a new defence team.
Police & Courts
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The man at the centre of an alleged blackmail-murder plot has asked for more time as he locks in interstate lawyers to defend his case.
No defence lawyer arrived at Darwin Local Court for Timothy Hunt’s hearing on Wednesday, with prosecutor Damien Jones telling the judge that the accused murderer needed more time to prepare his case.
The 29-year-old man was extradited from Queensland back to the Territory and charged with committing a violent act and murder exactly one year after 36-year-old Tony Rowe vanished for a Darwin pub, the Hibiscus Tavern, on May 28, 2022.
In May this year NT Police discovered Mr Rowe’s body in an isolated area south of Darwin, with Hunt, a 42-year-old man Keith Allen Waldock and a 21-year-old woman who cannot be identified charged with his disappearance.
Waldock was charged with being an accessory after the murder, blackmail and extortion, aggravated assault and two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The 21-year-old was charged with destruction of evidence and making a false declaration.
On Wednesday, Mr Jones said Hunt had dropped his Territory-based defence team for Western Australian lawyer Anthony Elliott, and needed time to confirm his Legal Aid funding was still approved.
“Why is a Legal Aid duty lawyer not appearing?” Judge Thomasin Opie asked.
“I have no idea,” Mr Jones responded.
Mr Jones said there was a “very large brief of evidence” that Mr Elliot would have to go through and asked for an eight-week adjournment.
On his online legal profile, Mr Elliott said he has a particular interest in cases involving “scientific evidence, particularly DNA” and has practised law in the Northern Territory.
Ms Opie adjourned Hunt’s preliminary examination mention to December 6.
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