Panel of Jurors in Prominent Australian Murder Trial Tours Beach At Which Deceased Was Found

Wangetti Beach scene
The body of Toyah Cordingley were found on a secluded beach in northern Queensland in 2018.

Jurors overseeing a high-profile Australian murder trial have traveled to the isolated shore where the victim was located.

Toyah Cordingley was repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object and buried in a shallow grave with little or no chance of survival, the jury has heard.

The remains were found by a family member the following day on Wangetti Beach – a section of shoreline nestled between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.

The accused, 41, denies killing Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.

Jury Visit to Beach

The jury of 10 men and two women plus several alternates attended the beach along with the presiding officer and legal counsel on the start of the week in Queensland.

In a nod to the hot climate and temperatures above 30C, the judge wore a casual top, sport shorts and trainers rather than a wig and robes.

Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys chose casual shirts, shorts and baseball caps.

Scene Details

The jurors were guided around three-quarters of a mile along the beach to observe where Ms Cordingley's body were discovered.

Earlier, as they traveled to the site, four red and white cones showed where the victim's car had been parked.

The trip was designed to help the jurors become acquainted with important sites in the trial and no official evidence was given.

Context of the Case

Last week, the court was informed that the day after Ms Cordingley's remains were discovered, Mr Singh departed from Australia to India – abandoning his wife, family and parents.

He was not heard from until he was apprehended years after, the state said.

Court officials at the beach
Justice Lincoln Crowley with legal representatives and other personnel at Wangetti Beach.

State Case

It is claimed that Mr Singh, who was working as a nurse in the town of Innisfail, south of Cairns, had a altercation with Ms Cordingley.

The victim was discovered wearing a bikini, with her attire and most of her possessions absent.

Those items were removed by the assailant to avoid detection, prosecutors allege.

Her dog, Indie, which Ms Cordingley had taken to the beach for a walk, was located tied up to a post concealed in shrubland about 30 metres from the grave.

No murder weapon was found, and no eyewitnesses have been identified.

But the prosecution says the crown's case – though indirect – was made up of proof that pointed to Mr Singh "excluding other suspects."

This will include evidence that DNA recovered from a object at the location was 3.8 billion times more probable to have originated from Mr Singh than a random member of the public.

The jury has already heard evidence suggesting that Ms Cordingley's mobile device departed the beach after the killing – and that its movements corresponded with those of a blue Alfa Romeo belonging to the accused.

Mr Singh's sudden departure from Australia also pointed to his guilt, the prosecution has claimed.

Defence Stance

"As the police were finding Toyah's body, he was arranging... a rushed one way trip back to India," Mr Crane said previously as he began arguments.

The defense is yet to present any evidence, but in his opening address, Mr Singh's barrister the lawyer portrayed his client as a "placid" and "caring" man, who was in the "wrong place at the wrong time."

He also hinted at testimony to come subsequently that, after his arrest, Mr Singh informed an undercover officer he had witnessed two masked men attack Ms Cordingley and then had fled in terror – something he said was his "biggest mistake."

The defense attorney has also said he will give evidence about individuals "both known and unknown" who should come under investigation.

Additional Testimony

Ms Cordingley's boyfriend at the time, the witness, whom police quickly ruled out as a person of interest, was one who testified last week.

The court was informed he was an initial police suspect – and that he had faced questions from Ms Cordingley's father about whether he was implicated in his partner's disappearance, even before her body were found.

Photographs depicting the witness on a hike with a companion on the day Ms Cordingley went missing have been shown to the jury, with an expert saying he was certain the photos were genuine and had not been doctored in any manner.

The case will return to the standard environment of the courtroom on the next day.

Laura Cannon
Laura Cannon

A passionate writer and mindfulness coach dedicated to helping others find balance and inspiration through creative expression.