Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Beau Lamarre-Condon’s double murder trial in the NSW Supreme Court.
The former police officer has pleaded not guilty to murdering Sydney couple Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29, in the eastern suburbs on February 19, 2024.
He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated breaking and entering into Baird’s Paddington home in August 2023 and stealing a mobile phone and wallet belonging to Baird.
A 15-person jury has been empanelled for the trial, which is expected to run for up to 12 weeks. In the event all 15 jurors are still present at the end of the trial, a ballot will be conducted to reduce their number to 12.
Yesterday, Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, started delivering his opening address to the jury. This sets out the Crown’s case and is not evidence, but it is a guide to the evidence the prosecution expects to call in the months ahead.
Lamarre-Condon is entitled to the presumption of innocence and his barrister John Stratton, SC, will deliver an opening address today after Hatfield finishes his remarks.
During his opening yesterday, Hatfield alleged that Lamarre-Condon developed an “an obsessive and jealous infatuation” with Baird after a short relationship that started in late 2022 and was ended for the first time by Baird in April 2023.
After a brief resumption of their relationship later that year, it was “firmly and irretrievably ended” by Baird in November 2023, the Crown says.
The Crown case is that the murder of Baird was premeditated but that he killed Davies, Baird’s new boyfriend, to eliminate a witness to his crime.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
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