Trial date decided for Hamilton Island golf buggy death case

Two years after a newlywed Sydney bride was tragically killed in a Whitsunday buggy crash, there’s finally been progress in the case against her husband who denies causing her death.

Legal teams involved in the case against a husband charged over the tragic death of his newlywed wife on a famous Whitsunday Island have finally agreed on a trial date.

Sydney couple Robbie Awad and his wife Marina Morgan were celebrating their honeymoon on Hamilton Island when their golf buggy crashed.

Police alleged in court Mr Awad was the driver of the buggy and rolled it while attempting a U-turn on the corner of Coral Sea Ave and Whitsunday Boulevard on June 20, 2022.

As a result, 29-year-old Marina died despite the attempts of an off-duty firefighter, a doctor and dentist to save her.

Mr Awad, 30, was not physically injured in the crash.

He has pleaded not guilty to driving without due care causing death, of using a mobile phone while driving, of not wearing a seatbelt, and not have passengers 16 years or older wearing a seatbelt.

Newlyweds Robbie and Marina Morgan. The 29-year-old bride tragically died on her honeymoon after falling from a golf buggy on Hamilton Island.

In Proserpine Magistrates Court this week, Magistrate Michelle Howard asked both the prosecution and defence whether a trial date could be decided as it had been “listed for a year”.

Ms Howard said the defence had previously mentioned a four-day trial in November and there had been four discussions about narrowing the issues since.

“It doesn’t sound like we’re progressing,” she said, reminding both legal teams a four-day trial over consecutive days was not possible in Proserpine as she only had Thursdays and Fridays available at the courthouse.

Murphy’s Lawyers solicitor Brian Wrench told the court a discussion between both parties had taken place, but the prosecution had informed them that there were some “possible outstanding witnesses”.

Mr Wrench told the court they could only agree on dates once the prosecution had confirmed all witnesses.

Pictured at Rookwood Cemetery is the funeral of Marina Morgan who was tragically killed while on her honeymoon with husband Robbie on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays when the golf buggy they were in rolled. Picture: Sunday Telegraph

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry told Ms Howard some of the witnesses were expert witnesses and the prosecutor may “not have the experience in the technical field to narrow down all the issues”.

When asked about trial dates, Mr Perry told the court, the prosecution could put down dates in May.

However, Mr Wrench told the court one of the submissions from the defence would not be available until June 10.

The trial dates were agreed to be July 5 and 6, followed by July 11 and 12 if the trial cannot be finalised in two days.

Originally published as Trial date decided for Hamilton Island golf buggy death case