DPP appeals murder acquittal

South Australia's Director of Public Prosecutions is challenging the murder acquittal of a man who fatally bashed his married lover.

Justice John Sulan, who heard the Supreme Court trial without a jury, found Bevan John Brougham, 53, not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Dianne Rogan, 52, in July 2013.

When Ms Rogan did not turn up to her job as deputy registrar at Whyalla Magistrates Court, her daughter went to her mother's Whyalla home and found her naked and battered body beside the backyard spa.

In finding Brougham guilty of the less serious charge, Justice Sulan said he was not satisfied he intended to kill Ms Rogan.

"The injuries could well have been inflicted in an intoxicated state without the necessary comprehension that a sober person would have when inflicting such severe blows," he said.

Ms Rogan, whose post-mortem blood alcohol reading was 0.34 per cent, suffered extensive fractures and injuries to her face, head, chest and back.

The DPP's application to appeal the murder acquittal is due to be heard on Friday by three judges in the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Brougham has yet to be sentenced for the manslaughter conviction.