The estranged husband and accused killer of Gold Coast woman Kelly Wilkinson can still “barely speak” and has been unable to give detailed defence instructions, his lawyer said on Friday.
Brian Earl Johnston did not appear in Southport magistrates court, where charges of murder were mentioned briefly.
The court heard a “voluminous” police brief of evidence had been handed to Johnston’s defence lawyers, but that DNA evidence had not yet been completed. The matter was adjourned for three months.
Wilkinson, a mother of three young children, was allegedly set alight by Johnston outside her home in April.
Police allege Johnston, a former US Marine, jumped into a nearby pool after the fire spread to his own body. He incurred “significant burns” and has spent an extended period in hospital.
Outside the court, solicitor Farshad Sarabi told reporters Johnston had been moved from hospital to a correctional facility.
He said that lawyers had had no discussions with him about whether he would fight the charges or seek bail.
“We’ve had very little contact with him to this point because obviously he’s all in his own medical state,” Sarabi said.
“At this point limited contact, but we are in contact.
“He can barely talk at this stage, it’s all signed instructions at this point because he’s obviously got a lot of damage. [It’s] very severe.”
