Cairns court: Ricky James Cowan pleads guilty to murder of Crystal Ratcliffe
After a five-year delay, Ricky James Cowan has admitted to murdering his former partner and the date has been set for his sentencing.
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AFTER more than five years, the man arrested over the alleged horrific murder of a Cairns mum has pleaded guilty in the Cairns Supreme Court.
When asked by Justice Jim Henry on Friday how he pleaded to the charge of murder, Cairns man Ricky James Cowan, 53, replied, ”guilty.”
Cowan was represented by Joseph Jacobs via video link, who said he was instructed by Osborne Butler Lawyers.
Cowan was charged with the rape and murder of Crystal Ratcliffe, 38, the mother of two of his children, at her Woree home in 2016.
The couple had separated two-and-a-half years prior to the events of October 13, 2016, where Mr Cowan is accused of killing Ms Ratcliffe in a jealous rage after hearing she was seeing someone else.
However, Crown Prosecutor Nathan Crane, said in light of the guilty plea the charges related to the alleged rape of Ms Ratcliffe would be withdrawn.
Justice Henry asked Cowan if he understood the seriousness of the charges.
“Mr Cowan you have pleaded guilty, I want to check you have understood the consequence of a guilty plea,” he said.
“Because a guilty plea will require me to sentence you to a life of imprisonment.”
“Yes, your honour,” Cowan said.
Justice Henry set a sentencing date of March 8, 2022.
Cowan who sported a bushy beard, was dressed in a blue plaid shirt and hitched up his black trousers before he waved to two women seated in the rear of the public gallery before he was led from the court to be remanded in custody.
Earlier Mr Cowan’s case was suspended “indefinitely” in May 2020, two months after he was transferred to The Park Centre, a high security psychiatric hospital in Brisbane.
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Originally published as Cairns court: Ricky James Cowan pleads guilty to murder of Crystal Ratcliffe
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