Forensic evidence against a man accused of murdering his wife by staging a lawnmower accident can be challenged by "five minutes on Google", a magistrate has been told.
Frances Elizabeth Crawford was found dead near a ride-on lawnmower at the base of a retaining wall at a rural Upper Lockyer property, west of Brisbane, in July 2024.
Her husband and former Royal Australian Air Force pilot Robert John Crawford, 47, was charged three months later with murder and interfering with a corpse.
Crawford faced Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday for the start of a two-day committal hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence for him to face trial.
Prosecutors have alleged Crawford strangled his wife in a "murderous rage", possibly in the couple's bathroom, then moved her body to stage her death to make it look like a late-night accident while she was trying to move the lawnmower away from water sprinklers.
His defence have argued she died from the mower accidentally falling on top of her and the steering wheel compressing her neck.
Prosecution forensic expert witness David Ackland was cross-examined by Crawford's barrister Saul Holt about his biomechanics report into whether a lawnmower crash could have caused deep injuries to the deceased's throat.
Mr Holt asked if he was correct in his understanding Professor Ackland was not aware of any "previously published studies that have reported fracture of the thyroid cartilages and hyoid bone in injuries other than strangulation and hanging".
Prof Ackland said that was absolutely true.
"Do you know how long it took me to find the articles challenging that position?" Mr Holt said.
"Five minutes on Google. Did you even look?"
Prof Ackland said he was not aware of reports of those sorts of injuries because they were extremely rare.
"Strangulation and hanging are the main injury causes," he said.
Mr Holt also challenged Prof Ackland on his conclusion that the 237kg lawnmower could not have delivered enough force to a person's throat to fracture bones and cartilage.
Ms Crawford's autopsy revealed injuries including 15 abrasions to her throat area and an abrasion to her chin, acting magistrate Sue Ganasan heard.
Forensic pathologist Andrzej Kedziora testified he had performed the autopsy.
Under cross-examination by Mr Holt, Dr Kedziora was asked if the injuries could potentially be explained by someone accidentally reversing a ride-on mower off a retaining wall at night.
"Yes," Dr Kedziora said.
His report found Ms Crawford was likely not strangled by someone using their hands but could have been killed by someone pressing their arm across her throat via a headlock, Ms Ganasan heard.
"It's possible the abrasions on the neck may have been caused by fabric or the hand by rubbing, the injury on the chest could have been caused by an elbow and the abrasions may have been caused by nails grasping the forearm and hitting the skin of the neck," Dr Kedziora said.
Mr Holt asked Dr Kedziora if he agreed with another doctor's view that a bruise on Ms Crawford's chest and the abrasion on her chin were more likely to have been caused by the lawnmower than manual strangulation.
"I am unable to determine the probability of these incidents. I included several scenarios and did not rule any out," Dr Kedziora said.
Mr Holt asked Dr Kedziora about a review of his autopsy report that claimed it "comes across a bit as though you are trying to fit the cause of death to police suspicions".
"Do you accept that criticism?" Mr Holt said.
"No," Dr Kedziora said.
It was standard procedure for another doctor to review an autopsy in the case of a suspicious death, Dr Kedziora said in response to a re-examination by crown prosecutor Chris Cook.
The committal is due to resume on Thursday.
Crawford's bail was continued and he declined to comment as he left the court building.
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