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The family members of Luke Davies, the Qantas flight attendant who was allegedly killed by former NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon, have been offered special permission to view the court hearing for their son’s alleged murderer.
In February this year the disappearance of Luke Davies and his partner, former TV presenter Jesse Baird, shocked the nation. The pair were missing for several days, resulting in a Sydney-wide manhunt that ended when Lamarre-Condon handed himself into the Waverly Police Station on February 23.
The 28-year-old senior officer was arrested and charged with two counts of murder, and has remained in custody ever since.
NSW Police allege that Lamarre-Condon shot and killed Baird and Davies with his police-issued firearm in Baird’s Paddington home on February 19, because he was obsessed with Baird, and that Davies was collateral damage.
As proceedings for the criminal trial began at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on June 18, the prosecution told the court that the family of Baird and Davies had requested special permission to remotely dial into the court hearing.
Though this privilege is not standard for pre-trial proceedings, Magistrate Daniel Covington granted permission for Luke Davies’ Queensland-based family to remotely watch today’s hearing. Jesse Baird’s family did not view the hearing.
Lamarre-Condon also did not attend the hearing, in person or remotely, and was represented by his lawyer John Walford.
Magistrate Covington adjourned the next hearing until August, when the prosecution will confirm the charges being made against Lamarre-Condon.
Walford spoke to reporters outside the local court and told them that his client was “doing okay”, but the matter was “tough for him as well”, per the Sydney Morning Herald.
In March, Walford shared that Lamarre-Condon’s mental health may “come into play” as a defence. Today he told the press that the former cop is “far from” the stage of a plea bargain.
The matter was set to return to court on August 13, where Lamarre-Condon will appear via audiovisual link.
