Greenkeeper tells Sydney court of finding bloodied items in bin days after alleged double murder
A greenkeeper testified at the Sydney trial of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon that bloodstained belongings were found in a skip bin two days after football umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Davies were allegedly killed. Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty to two murder charges.
The murder trial of former New South Wales police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, 31, continued in the NSW supreme court with testimony from Craig Scott, a greenskeeper at Cronulla Bowls Club.
Lamarre-Condon is accused of fatally shooting football umpire Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Davies with his police service weapon at Baird's Paddington home on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter.
Prosecutors allege Lamarre-Condon began cleaning up the crime scene immediately after the shootings and later dumped items in a skip bin at the bowls club.
A statement from Scott was read to the jury describing how he and a co-worker arrived at the club on 21 February 2024 and noticed the bin's lid propped open with rubbish. Inside were several black plastic bags that had not been there the previous day. Scott opened one and found a piece of brown clothing with red stains resembling dried blood, prompting the pair to suspect something was wrong.
Searching further, the two found a silver watch, a leather pouch and a Qantas identification card, along with wooden drawers, various shoes and clothing, and a pair of AFL shorts still sealed in plastic packaging.
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC told the court that on 20 February 2024, Lamarre-Condon had dinner with a friend in Cronulla and mentioned needing to find a skip bin; the friend later pointed one out while driving him home.
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC said in his opening statement that Baird and Davies were shot in self-defence during struggles with the policeman, and that Lamarre-Condon then began cleaning the scene because he panicked.
The trial before Justice Natalie Adams continues.
