The Queensland Court of Appeal allowed appeals against murder convictions of a mother and stepfather for the killing of a four-year-old child, ordering a new trial on multiple grounds. The Court held that while an Edwards direction on lies is not always necessary, the trial judge erred in failing to direct the jury against the danger of concluding guilt merely because the appellants lied about how the child received fatal injuries. Evidence of uncharged acts of violence towards the child was rightly admitted as relationship evidence relevant to intent, but in an emotive case the jury ought to have been warned against possible misuse of such evidence. The Court further held that the trial judge failed to adequately put the defence case, particularly the need to distinguish between evidence of callousness and the specific intent to cause grievous bodily harm required for murder.
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