Margaret Anne Otto launches appeal against ‘unsafe’ murder verdict

A woman found guilty of murdering her husband has launched an appeal against her conviction.

Dwayne Davies was murdered on May 27, 2017.

A RISDON Vale woman found guilty of murdering her tattoo artist husband is appealing against the conviction.

A Supreme Court jury on October 7 found Margaret Anne Otto, 47, and friend Bradley Scott Purkiss, 43, of Elderslie, guilty of murdering Dwayne “Doc” Davies on May 26, 2017.

When he sentenced the pair three weeks ago, Chief Justice Alan Blow said Purkiss and Otto planned the murder together, and Purkiss shot Mr Davies and dumped and buried his body on a remote property — where it was found a week later.

He said the pair murdered Mr Davies because of grievances about Mr Davies’ behaviour and his wife’s desire to be free of him.

Margaret Anne Otto was found guilty of the murder of her husband Dwayne Davies.

Otto was sentenced to 15 years jail with a non parole period of 7½ years, and Purkiss was sentenced to 24 years jail with a non parole period of 14 years.

Otto, who appeared in the Supreme Court in Hobart today via video link from prison, is appealing against her murder conviction on the ground the jury’s verdict was “unsafe and unsatisfactory”.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is appealing against Otto’s sentence, arguing it was inadequate.

Justice Michael Brett said the appeal would not be heard this year.

Justice Brett adjourned the directions hearing until December 2 to give Otto’s lawyers, Caroline Graves and Greg Melick SC, time to prepare an appeal book and to clarify particular points they wish to argue.

Purkiss and Otto’s trial took five weeks and 110 exhibits were tendered as evidence.