Shane Barker murder trial: Ex-wife Rachel Bowden (nee Jordan) takes stand

The Evandale ex-wife of alleged murder victim Shane Barker, who the Crown alleges was shot dead by the woman’s parents, is giving evidence in the Supreme Court. STORY UPDATED >>

Alleged Campbell Town murder victim Shane Geoffrey Barker, 36. Picture: Facebook

UPDATED: A diary kept by the ex-wife of alleged Campbell Town murder victim Shane Geoffrey Barker, 36, detailed the concerns she had about the care the young girl received from her father on his allocated weekends.

Swansea duo Cedric Harper Jordan, 71, and wife Noelene June Jordan, 68, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Barker on the evening of August 2, 2009, by shooting him four times on or near his 2 East St driveway.

The defendants’ daughter, Rachel Bowden (nee Jordan), Mr Barker’s ex-wife with whom he shared a daughter, gave evidence to the murder trial in Launceston Supreme Court on Tuesday.

It is the Crown case that the defendants were motivated to kill Mr Barker in an attempt to rid him from their family’s life and that they were incensed over allegations of his mistreatment of their granddaughter.

There is no allegation of wrongdoing by Ms Bowden, nor was she charged with any offences.

Following the breakdown of Ms Bowden and Mr Barker’s marriage in May 2007, Ms Bowden kept a diary to record her observations of her daughter before and after interactions with her father. The diary’s contents were read to the court.

Campbell Town man Shane Geoffrey Barker, 36. Picture: File

From September 2007 onwards, Ms Bowden recorded various entries about her daughter’s bottom and crotch region being inflamed following visits to her father.

Ms Bowden and the defendants subsequently formed a view Mr Barker was abusing the young girl. This was subsequently investigated by Tasmania Police in 2008. They declined to lay charges and the allegations were never substantiated.

On January 30, 2008, Ms Bowden recorded her belief that “Shane is playing with her head,” after her daughter snatched things and told her she “hated” her mum.

On other occasions, Ms Bowden recorded her frustrations that it appeared Mr Barker wasn’t giving their daughter medicine as directed, was leaving her with his parents while he went to the pub, and wasn’t grooming her hair properly.

Other entries record Mr Barker being a doting father.

In February 2008, the young girl raved to Ms Bowden how much she loved playing “crocodile” in the pool with Mr Barker.

EARLIER 11.30AM: The daughter of an East Coast couple on trial for allegedly murdering her ex-boyfriend by shooting him to death to rid him from their lives has taken the witness stand.

Swansea duo Cedric Harper Jordan, 71, and wife Noelene June Jordan, 68, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Campbell Town man Shane Geoffrey Barker, 36, on the evening of August 2, 2009, by shooting him four times on or near his 2 East St driveway.

On Monday, the pair’s daughter Rachel Bowden (nee Jordan) took the stand in Launceston Supreme Court.

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The court previously heard that it is the Crown’s case that the defendants were motivated to kill Mr Barker after his marriage to Ms Bowden broke down in mid-2007.

The marriage produced a daughter.

Shooting death of Shane Geoffrey Barker (36), shot a number of times at his home at 2 East Street in Campbell Town, Tasmania Police forensic officers at the crime scene. Picture: File

Crown prosecutor Daryl Coates previously told the court that the shared parenting arrangement between the deceased and Ms Bowden was a bone of contention, while the defendants and Ms Jordan were also incensed that a gifted half-share in a Central Highlands property, at Little Pine Lake, was included in the property settlement.

Ms Bowden told the court under questioning from Crown prosecutor Jack Shapiro that she was “annoyed” the property was included in the settlement.

Further, she alleged that Mr Barker had had sex with her “not with my consent” on the last night prior to her leaving Mr Barker at the end of May, 2007.

Ms Bowden is continuing to give evidence.