Robert Crawford granted bail on charge of murder over death of wife at Lockyer valley property

Airforce pilot Robert Crawford, who allegedly strangled his wife in a “murderous rage” at their South East Queensland property, has been granted bail.

Robert Crawford allegedly strangled his wife, Frances, in a “murderous rage”.

A man who allegedly strangled his wife in a “murderous rage” has been granted bail.

Airforce pilot Robert Crawford is contesting a charge of murder relating to the death of his wife Frances Crawford.

The mother of three was found lifeless on her Lockyer Valley property on July 30 last year next to a ride-on lawnmower at the bottom of a retaining wall.

The Crown alleges Crawford killed his wife and tried to make it look like an accident.

During an application for bail earlier this month Crown prosecutor Chris Cook claimed Crawford had “manipulated the scene after killing his wife and painted himself as the victim”.

“He paints himself as waking up in the middle of the night, rolling over and she’s not there and goes looking for her, but what we see on this document is he’s using his phone a lot throughout the evening … and his bed is made, so the inference is he hadn’t been sleeping,” Mr Cook said.

But high-profile criminal barrister Saul Holt KC said Crawford frantically looked around the property for his wife before finding her under the 260kg lawnmower and calling emergency services around 3.30am.

Frances Crawford’s body was found at the bottom of a retaining wall at her Upper Lockyer property. Picture: Qld Police

Mr Holt said it was credible that Frances went to move the lawnmower herself and fatally fell in a terrible accident.

Mr Holt said the prosecution case was “very weak” and expert analysis was “flawed”, and argued Crawford should be granted bail.

“It’s at the very least a highly contestable prosecution case. Mr Crawford is and will be highly motivated to defend it rather than run away from it,” he said.

On Friday Justice Frances Williams granted bail to Crawford, who has no criminal history and is also charged with interfering with a corpse.

“The applicant will contest the charges …. a lengthy period of custody may be inevitable if not granted bail,” Justice Williams said.

“There are parts of the Crown’s evidence which are contestable.”

She said a central issue at trial will be whether the Crown can exclude accident beyond reasonable doubt where there is the appearance of an accident.

Crawford was in a show cause situation meaning he had to demonstrate why his detention was not justified.

The mother of three was found lifeless on her Lockyer Valley property on July 30 last year under a ride-on lawnmower. Picture: Qld Police

The Crown opposed bail on the basis he posed an unacceptable risk of interfering with witnesses and others, committing further offences and failing to appear.

The primary risk identified was risk of falling to appear.

Justice Williams said it was uncontentious that where a strong case of murder existed, and given the mandatory life sentence a conviction would carry, there is an incentive not to appear but that risk diminished if the Crown case was not strong

The defence say the 47 year old has ties to the jurisdiction being close to parents, brother and extended family.

Robert Crawford has been charged with his wife’s murder. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The court heard he was suspended from RAAF last year but he was seeking to have it lifted.

Currently he does not have access to RAAF air bases and his security clearance had expired.

Crawford has been in custody since October.

Proposed bail conditions included $250,000 surety from father, curfew, daily reporting at Toowoomba police station, not applying for passport including diplomatic passport, not leave Qld or Australia, not enter within 500m of international terminal, not enter airfield given he is a pilot, not contact with any witness or potential witness including children.

The Crown point to him being a pilot being a risk, but this alone cannot exclude bail, she said.

Had previously made application for diplomatic passport for work before this incident.

Justice Williams found the proposed conditions reduced any risk of release to an acceptable level.

Originally published as Robert Crawford granted bail on charge of murder over death of wife at Lockyer valley property