A defence lawyer for a man accused of committing murder at Gerogery a decade ago has spoken out against further delays in his client's case going to trial. Phillip Gibson said it was wrong for his client to be disadvantaged simply because police had not yet been able to arrest a co-accused. The man, now 26, has been held in Sydney's Long Bay jail ever since his extradition from Queensland in September, 2019. IN OTHER NEWS: He cannot be named as he was aged 16 at the time he allegedly murdered William Chaplin, whose remains were found a week before his arrest. "My client's been ready to be committed for trial for months," Mr Gibson told Albury Local Court magistrate Richard Funston on Tuesday, via a video link to Sydney. MORE COURT STORIES This latest delay has resulted from frustrated efforts by NSW authorities to have a second man accused of murdering Mr Chaplin, Paul Anthony Watson, extradited from Victoria, where he is serving full-time jail. Watson and Mr Gibson's client are accused of killing Mr Chaplin between March and May of 2010. Mr Gibson said what had made the delay even more unpalatable was the fact that Watson hadn't yet been charged by NSW police. But Director of Public Prosecutions representative Sam Baumgarten said there was "a possibility" Watson's extradition would happen "in the next two weeks". Mr Baumgarten said the problem in securing the extradition was not because of any inherent weakness in the prosecution case. "That's not because of a lack of evidence," he said. "That's because the police can't get down to Victoria to charge him." Mr Funston, who said he "understands Mr Gibson's frustration", adjourned the matter for a further mention on February 2.
A defence lawyer for a man accused of committing murder at Gerogery a decade ago has spoken out against further delays in his client's case going to trial.
Phillip Gibson said it was wrong for his client to be disadvantaged simply because police had not yet been able to arrest a co-accused.
The man, now 26, has been held in Sydney's Long Bay jail ever since his extradition from Queensland in September, 2019.
He cannot be named as he was aged 16 at the time he allegedly murdered William Chaplin, whose remains were found a week before his arrest.
"My client's been ready to be committed for trial for months," Mr Gibson told Albury Local Court magistrate Richard Funston on Tuesday, via a video link to Sydney.
This latest delay has resulted from frustrated efforts by NSW authorities to have a second man accused of murdering Mr Chaplin, Paul Anthony Watson, extradited from Victoria, where he is serving full-time jail.
Watson and Mr Gibson's client are accused of killing Mr Chaplin between March and May of 2010.
Mr Gibson said what had made the delay even more unpalatable was the fact that Watson hadn't yet been charged by NSW police.
But Director of Public Prosecutions representative Sam Baumgarten said there was "a possibility" Watson's extradition would happen "in the next two weeks".
Mr Baumgarten said the problem in securing the extradition was not because of any inherent weakness in the prosecution case.
"That's not because of a lack of evidence," he said.
"That's because the police can't get down to Victoria to charge him."
Mr Funston, who said he "understands Mr Gibson's frustration", adjourned the matter for a further mention on February 2.
Follow us
Ad blocker issue
Your ad blocker may be preventing you from
being able to log in or subscribe.
