Killing of Allison Baden-Clay

Allison Baden-Clay
Born Allison June Dickie
(1968-07-01)1 July 1968
Corinda, Queensland, Australia
Died 19 April 2012(2012-04-19) (aged 43)
Nationality Australian
Spouse(s) Gerard Robert Baden-Clay (1997–2012; her death)
Children 3

Allison June Baden-Clay[1] (née Dickie; 1 July 1968 – 19 April 2012[2][3]) was an Australian woman whose body was discovered on 30 April 2012, ten days after she was reported missing by her husband Gerard. On 13 June 2012, he was charged with murder and interfering with a corpse. On 15 July 2014, he was found guilty and given a life sentence. Baden-Clay appealed the conviction and on 8 December 2015, it was downgraded to manslaughter. In August 2016, the High Court of Australia re-instated the murder conviction.

Background

Gerard Robert Baden-Clay was born Gerard Clay in Bournemouth, England, on 9 September 1970.[4] His family migrated to Rhodesia in 1980 where they changed their family name to "Baden-Clay" to associate the family with his father's grandfather, Lord Baden-Powell of Scouting fame. The family's life style, repeated migration seeking new lives and adopting of new names and recreating personas have been noted as factors in Gerard Baden-Clay's character. Gerard Baden-Clay would later use other pseudonyms in his increasingly secret and fantasy life. The Baden-Clay family later migrated to Australia.[5]

Allison June Dickie married Gerard Robert Baden-Clay on 23 August 1997.[4]

Disappearance

At 7:30 am on Friday, 20 April 2012, Gerard Baden-Clay reported his wife Allison missing. He claimed she went for a walk at 10 pm the night before and had not returned home.[6] On 30 April, a woman's body was found by a canoeist at Kholo Creek, Anstead, about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Baden-Clay's home in Brookfield. The following day, the body was confirmed to be Allison.[7] Her funeral was held in Ipswich on 11 May.[8]

Trial and conviction

On 13 June 2012, Gerard Baden-Clay was formally interviewed at Indooroopilly police station and charged with Allison's murder and for interfering with a corpse.[9] He maintained his innocence and said he would "be strenuously defending the charges".[10] Baden-Clay's bail application was denied on 22 June because Justice David Boddice said he posed a "significant flight risk".[11]

The trial began in the Brisbane Supreme Court on 10 June 2014. Baden-Clay pleaded not guilty to the charges.[12] On 15 July, he was found guilty of murdering Allison and disposing her body. He was given a life sentence with a non-parole period of 15 years.[13]

Appeal

On 7 August 2015, Baden-Clay appealed his conviction.[14] On 8 December, his conviction was downgraded to manslaughter.[15][16] In an unusual move, the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against the downgrade.[17][18] On 31 August 2016, the High Court of Australia subsequently restored the original trial murder conviction.[19][20]

Calls to deport Gerard Baden-Clay

A campaign has begun for Gerard Baden-Clay to be deported to his country of birth and citizenship, the United Kingdom, upon completion of his prison sentence.

Foundation

The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation was launched on 31 July 2015.[21] Its aim is to "create a Queensland community that acknowledges the prevalence of domestic and family violence".[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Baden-Clay guilty verdict: We finally have justice for Allison, family says". SBS News. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  2. ↑ Calligeros, Marissa (31 May 2014). "The trial of Gerard Baden-Clay". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Stephens, Kim (7 August 2015). "Gerard Baden-Clay appeal: Was Allison's death murder?". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 "The life and times of Gerard Baden-Clay, as supplied to police via affidavits used in bail application". News.com.au. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Gerard-Baden-Clay-consummate-salesman-narcissist-and-killer". Brisbane Times. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Davies, Lisa (5 May 2012). "Friend of murdered woman laments: 'She told me things, I should have done more'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  7. ↑ Waters, Georgia (2 May 2012). "Police confirm body as Allison Baden-Clay". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Callinan, Rory; Jabour, Bridie (12 May 2012). "Reclusive side to grieving husband". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Worthington, Elise (16 June 2012). "Baden-Clay remanded in custody on murder charge". ABC News. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  10. ↑ Sandy, Alison; Kyriacou, Kate (26 June 2012). "Gerard Baden-Clay's morning texts to dead wife". The Advertiser. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  11. ↑ Remeikis, Amy (22 June 2012). "Accused wife-killer Gerard Baden-Clay denied bail". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  12. ↑ Norton, Francene (11 June 2014). "Baden-Clay murder trial: Supreme Court jury told of marriage and debt problems". ABC News. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  13. ↑ Norton, Francene (16 July 2014). "Gerard Baden-Clay given life sentence for murder of wife Allison". ABC News. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  14. ↑ Mellor, Leonie; Taylor, John; Hatzakis, Maria (7 August 2015). "Gerard Baden-Clay: Court of Appeal reserves decision over murder conviction". ABC News. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "Gerard Baden-Clay: Murder conviction downgraded to manslaughter over death of wife Allison". ABC News. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  16. ↑ R v Baden-Clay [2015] QCA 265.
  17. ↑ Elks, Sarah (2 January 2016). "Queensland's high-stakes legal gamble over Gerard Baden-Clay". The Australian. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "High Court to hear appeal against Baden-Clay murder downgrade". ABC News. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  19. ↑ Wilson, Rae (31 August 2016). "High Court finds Gerard Baden-Clay murdered wife Allison". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  20. ↑ The Queen v Baden-Clay [2016] HCA 35.
  21. ↑ "Allison Baden-Clay Foundation targets violence". Brisbane Times. Australian Associated Press. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  22. ↑ "About the Foundation". The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation. Retrieved 25 January 2016.

Further reading

External links

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