Portmoresby ‘BJ’ Cecil charged with murder of Sue Duffy

New details in the court case against a man charged with the stabbing murder of Central Queensland identity Sue Duffy have been confirmed after it was previously paused amid the state’s DNA disaster.

Sue Duffy was allegedly murdered by her estranged son-in-law Portmoresbey Cecil in August 2022 in her Allenstown residence.

A murder charge against an estranged son-in-law accused of killing a loved Rockhampton grandma is one step closer to progressing through the courts after a previous holdup.

Allenstown resident Sue Duffy, 71, is alleged to have died at the hands of Portmoresbey ‘BJ; Cecil, who was 35 when he was charged with her stabbing murder.

Mrs Duffy died in her West Street, Allenstown, home on August 21, 2022.

It will be alleged Mrs Duffy sustained “substantial injuries”, believed to be caused by a “bladed instrument”.

Sue Duffy was sadly allegedly murdered on Sunday August 21.

The Rockhampton Magistrates Court this week heard an update in the case against Mr Cecil.

Lawyer Rebecca Harris advised her colleague Grant Cagney had read through the police brief of evidence.

She said the next steps were to get instructions from Mr Cecil and seek advice from counsel – a barrister – about the way forward regarding committal.

Portmoresbey "BJ" Cecil.

Committals are where cases that have to be dealt with in district or supreme court jurisdictions are formally passed from the magistrates court to the higher courts.

These cases generally stay in the magistrates jurisdiction while the brief of evidence is compiled and completed.

During the previous update to the court, on May 31, Mr Cagney said there was still a DNA statement outstanding.

Police prosecutor Sergeant David Longhurst produced a letter from a forensic scientist advising the court that this case “was wrapped up in the commission for re-examination”.

The commission of inquiry into Queensland’s DNA laboratory, which was held after The Australian’s podcast Shandee’s Story investigation into the murder of Shandee Blackburn in 2013, raised concerns about forensic examination procedures in Queensland.

Issues included a controversial decision in 2018 to stop testing DNA samples below a certain threshold and instead incorrectly report them to the police and courts as being DNA insufficient, or DIFP.

More than 1800 false witness statements in at least 1260 court cases were made by the troubled Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services on whether DNA had been detected.

Commissioner Walter Sofronoff KC made more than 100 recommendations in his 500-page report.

There was no mention about where the DNA report was – whether it was still outstanding or had been received by prosecution and provided to Mr Cecil’s defence team – during the July 12 update.

Mr Cecil’s matters were this week adjourned to August 9 and he was remanded in custody.

Originally published as Portmoresby ‘BJ’ Cecil charged with murder of Sue Duffy