Qld: Nine to stand trial over death of Thurston's uncle

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2009
Qld: Nine to stand trial over death of Thurston's uncle

By Christine Flatley

BRISBANE, Dec 10 AAP - Five men and four teenage boys have been committed to stand
trial for the murder of rugby league star Johnathan Thurston's uncle.

After eight days of evidence in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, Magistrate Noel Nunan
found on Thursday there was potentially enough evidence to convict the nine of killing
Richard Saunders in a park at Woodridge, in Brisbane's south, on October 25 last year.

The accused, aged between 15 and 25, chose not to enter a plea as they were committed
to stand trial for murder in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

They also face charges of grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning bodily harm
while armed and in company.

During the committal hearing the court was told the accused bashed Mr Saunders and
two of his friends, Harold Bond and Gordon Willis, after a dispute over a stolen purse.

The court was told that crucial closed-circuit TV footage that could shed light on
how the incident unfolded was missing, because the camera was probably facing the wrong
way at the time.

The footage retrieved by police only shows Mr Bond lying on the concrete path, and
does not show an attack on the three men.

Eight of the accused were remanded in custody until their trial, while the ninth remains
on Supreme Court bail.

A date for the trial is yet to be fixed.

AAP cf/pjo/bwl

KEYWORD: SAUNDERS

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