Daniel morcombe trial jury told to ignore abduction scene note 20140305 p5s15c.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Advertisement
Advertisement
BREAKINGAustralian man, two children found dead in BalirightArrow
This was published 12 years ago

Morcombe jury told to ignore 'abduction scene note'

AAP

Powered by

The jury in the Daniel Morcombe murder trial has been warned to disregard a potentially prejudicial note that was left at the scene of the schoolboy's alleged abduction.

Jurors visited the overpass on Tuesday where Daniel went missing, and also a bushland site where human remains were found.

On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Roslyn Atkinson told jurors that after they had been to the overpass, her attention was drawn to a note that was left there by a stranger.

Advertisement

In the note, the stranger gave his opinion as to accused man Brett Peter Cowan's guilt, the judge said.

"That should not have been there," she said.

"It is not evidence and I tell you in the strongest possible terms to ignore it, to dismiss it from your considerations and have regard only to the evidence."

Justice Atkinson reminded the panel of her direction at the beginning of the trial that they should not be influenced by the opinions of others.

"It's your assessment of the evidence and yours only that matters," she said.

"You are the sole objective judges of the facts."

Justice Atkinson then asked jurors to leave the room so the court could attend to legal matters.

The jury has sat for 14 days and heard evidence from more than 100 witnesses since Cowan's trial began on February 10.

Advertisement

Daniel was 13 when he vanished while waiting for a bus at Woombye on the Sunshine Coast in December 2003.

Cowan, 44, has pleaded not guilty to murder, indecent treatment of a child and interfering with a corpse.

His trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court continues.

email icon

Contact us

Share a tip-off, video or photo with us

Most viewed in Australia

More to explore