Murderer Darren Mark Wake to enter Supreme Court witness stand in disputed facts hearing

A Hobart man who has admitted to the stabbing murder of his former wife on Christmas Day 2021 will enter the witness stand next week. Latest from court.

Hobart midwife Rachel Wake was murdered on Christmas Day, 2021. Picture: Facebook

A man who has admitted to murdering his former wife on Christmas Day 2021 will enter the witness stand next week.

Darren Mark Wake, 61, appeared in the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Monday for a brief administrative hearing after finally pleading guilty to the stabbing murder just two months ago.

While Wake has now pleaded guilty to murdering 52-year-old nurse and midwife Rachel Anne Wake, he disputes some of the Crown facts in his case.

Justice Helen Wood heard the Crown facts would be read to the court on February 15, followed by a disputed facts hearing in which Wake will give evidence.

Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates SC told Justice Helen Wood that the Crown would likely play body-worn camera footage and interviews.

He said a forensic pathologist would not be called, because “none of that evidence is in dispute”.

Hobart man Darren Mark Wake has pleaded guilty to the stabbing murder of Rachel Wake, 52, on Christmas Day 2021.

Defence barrister Fabiano Cangelosi said it was expected Darren Wake would spend about an hour giving evidence at next week’s hearing.

Ms Wake died in the Royal Hobart Hospital on December 25, 2021, after she was allegedly attacked in front of her two teenage children at her home on Binalong Road, Mornington.

A number of her loved ones were present in court on Monday.

Darren Wake was remanded in custody.

He had been expected to change his plea to guilty over Ms Wake’s murder for some time, following repeated adjournments in the Hobart Magistrates Court.

Wake finally entered an initial plea some 10 months after the murder, in October 2022, pleading not guilty and flagging his intentions to stand trial.

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