Trial of man charged with Ipswich father Chris Anderson abandoned as jury ‘absolutely deadlocked’

The trial of a man charged with the shooting murder of an Ipswich father has taken a dramatic turn, leaving the victim’s family devastated.

Police at the Gailes home where Ipswich father Christopher Anderson was shot dead. Picture: Ebony Graveur

The trial of a man charged with murdering Ipswich father Christopher Anderson has been abandoned after the jury were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Larkin Dwayne Moffatt, 25, had pleaded not guilty to murder and burglary on July 10 2021 at Gailes where Mr Anderson was shot dead following an alleged home invasion.

Christopher Anderson.

After deliberating for seven hours and 52 minutes the jury sent a note to Justice Lincoln Crowley saying they were “absolutely deadlocked” with no potential for reaching verdicts on either charge.

Justice Crowley discharged the jurors and thanked them for their service before adjourning the matter to Tuesday for a review.

Mr Anderson’s sister Lisa Conlon said the family, who had attended each day of trial, were disappointed.

Ipswich father Chris Anderson.

“Disappointed that we don’t get that opportunity to grieve for Christopher,” she said outside court.

The trial heard Moffatt, Aidan Eden Pascoe, 35, and Shaun Jason Birt, 31 and the defendant’s brother Markiss Graham John Moffatt-Cleary, 23 travelled to Mr Anderson’s Old Logan Rd home at Gailes on July 10 2021 as Birt believed he had been ripped off after being indirectly supplied methamphetamine by the victim’s then partner Felicity Torrens.

After speaking to Mr Anderson, who they did not know, on his outside patio they entered the home where he had gone to fetch Mr Torrens.

Lisa Conlon, sister of Chris Anderson, leaves Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: Glenn Campbell

At some point Pascoe, who had secreted a 410 shortened shotgun down his pants without telling the others, pulled it out and blasted a hole through the lounge room wall, the court heard.

The blast penetrated into the bedroom of young Christopher, Mr Anderson’s two year old son.

Several of the men took items from the house including Moffatt who allegedly stole Mr Anderson’s new pair of Nike Air Jordans and a bottle of Bundy rum from his alcohol collection, the court heard.

The court heard Mr Anderson gave chase with a Bunnings shovel which he used to hit the men and their Commodore as they piled into it.

Around this time the Crown allege Moffatt shot him in the chest with a .22 rifle, the court heard

The bullet punctured his heart in two places that an emergency doctor stapled together on arrival but it did no good. Mr Anderson was declared dead at 4.30pm less than an hour after the group had first shown up.

Felicity Torrens outside court.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Greg Cummings told the jury it was a case of “straight up murder”.

But Moffatt’s barrister Victoria Trafford-Walker suggested he had no choice when faced by an “out of control” Mr Anderson.

She put forward arguments of self-defence, defence in aid of another, provocation and unwilled act noting there had been evidence of a tussle over the gun between Moffatt and Mr Anderson and her client had told his brother later that day that he had “accidentally” shot Mr Anderson.

The jury began its deliberations about 11.40am Tuesday and just before 4pm that day sent a note saying they could not reach a unanimous verdict on either charge.

Justice Crowley urged them to continue deliberating as past experience had shown that given enough time jurors could often find agreement.

The jury continued deliberations on Wednesday morning sending another note asking for an explanation of beyond reasonable doubt among other things.

This was provided and the jury continued deliberations until about 2.30pm when they were discharged after confirming they were deadlocked.

Originally published as Trial of man charged with Ipswich father Chris Anderson abandoned as jury ‘absolutely deadlocked’