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==Trial== |
==Trial== |
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{{Current court case|date=August 2007}} |
{{Current court case|date=August 2007}} |
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Farquharson's trial for the murder of his three sons began on August 21, 2007 <ref name="dadontrial">[http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/21/2010406.htm?section= Dad on trial over Father's Day drownings], ''[[Australian Broadcasting Commission]]'', August 21, 2007</ref>. |
Farquharson's trial for the murder of his three sons began on August 21, 2007 <ref name="dadontrial">[http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/21/2010406.htm?section= Dad on trial over Father's Day drownings], ''[[Australian Broadcasting Commission]]'', [[August 21]], 2007</ref> before Justice [[Philip Cummins]]. |
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Farquharson told police the car begun to submerge into the dam when his oldest son attempted to free himself by opening the passenger door |
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<ref name="inwater">[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/dad-were-in-water/2007/09/14/1189276972181.html 'Dad, we're in water'], ''[[The Age]]'', September 14, 2007</ref>. Witness, Associate Professor Matthew Naughton told the jury it was highly unlikely Farquharson had suffered a coughing fit in the moments before the accident <ref name="blackoutplea">[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22408332-661,00.html Expert hits dam dad's blackout plea], ''[[Herald Sun]]'', September 13, 2007</ref>. |
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==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 09:28, 14 September 2007
Robert Donald William Farquharson is an Australian citizen, charged with multiple counts of murder concerning the drowning deaths of his three children. At approximately 7pm, on September 4, 2005, while returning his children to their mother after a Father's Day access visit, a car driven by Farquharson veered across the Princes Highway between Winchelsea and Geelong before coming to rest in a farm dam, trapping his three children inside.
Farquharson managed to escape the sinking vehicle and alerted another driver who drove Farquharson to nearby Winchelsea [1]. His three children, Jai, 10, Tyler, 7, and Bailey, 2 were unable to free themselves from the sinking vehicle and were killed at the scene. Their bodies were recovered by police divers at approximately 2am the following morning, still inside the vehicle and unrestrained by seatbelts.
Police investigations
During a police interview, Farquharson blamed a coughing fit and said that he also lost consciousness, forcing his VN Commodore vehicle from the road. Farquharson requested and undertook a lie detector test, the results of which are inadmissable in a court [2]
Police prepared murder charges against Farquharson and attended to his Winchelsea home on December 14, 2005. Farquharson was not at home at the time however presented himself at the Geelong police station in the presence of his lawyer where he was arrested and charged with three counts of murder. He later appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody and ordered to appear before the court on April 7, 2006. [1]
Farquharson's estranged wife, Cindy Gambino has told the court she does not believe Farquharson intended to kill their children deliberately, saying "I believe with all my heart that this was just an accident and that he would not have hurt a hair on their heads. I don't believe this is murder [3].
Police allege Farquharson was in control of the vehicle in the moments before it crashed into the dam, and that he earlier told friend, Greg King he had intended to kill his children to get back at his wife [4].
Trial
Template:Current court case Farquharson's trial for the murder of his three sons began on August 21, 2007 [5] before Justice Philip Cummins.
Farquharson told police the car begun to submerge into the dam when his oldest son attempted to free himself by opening the passenger door [6]. Witness, Associate Professor Matthew Naughton told the jury it was highly unlikely Farquharson had suffered a coughing fit in the moments before the accident [7].
References
- ^ a b 'Dumbfounded' dad to fight murder charges The Age, December 15, 2005
- ^ Drowned brothers' father takes lie detector test The Age, September 21, 2005
- ^ Court told of plan to kill three sons The Sydney Morning Herald, August 15, 2006
- ^ Father was in control of car before dam plunge, court told Australian Broadcasting Commission, August 16, 2006
- ^ Dad on trial over Father's Day drownings, Australian Broadcasting Commission, August 21, 2007
- ^ 'Dad, we're in water', The Age, September 14, 2007
- ^ Expert hits dam dad's blackout plea, Herald Sun, September 13, 2007