Baden-Clay payout frozen
A FEDERAL Court judge has ruled Allison Baden-Clay's life insurance payout will be determined by the outcome of her husband's criminal proceedings.
Justice Berna Collier yesterday ruled a $347,277.50 Suncorp Insurance policy in the former Ipswich woman's name be held by the court until proceedings against Gerard Baden-Clay are finalised or "the best evidence emerges" from his trial.
Baden-Clay is accused of murdering his wife and mother of their three children, at their Brookfield home on April 20 and then dumping her body at Kholo Creek, where a canoeist found it 10 days later. He told police his wife had gone missing after she went for a morning walk.
He was arrested and charged with her murder on June 13.
The 42-year-old, who has publicly maintained his innocence, was named as the primary beneficiary on his wife's life insurance policy but, following his arrest, Suncorp sought to freeze the payout until the rightful recipient could be determined.
Mrs Baden-Clay's father, Geoffrey Dickie, who was granted interim control of his late daughter's estate last month, was also represented in the brief Federal Court hearing.
Justice Collier adjourned the matter with the option of bringing the proceedings back go the Federal Court if evidence emerged during the criminal trial which would help settle the matter.
Lawyers for Suncorp, Mr Baden-Clay and Mr Dickie did not comment after leaving court.
Baden-Clay's murder case will be mentioned again on November 5 with a hearing tentatively set down for November 20.
Baden-Clay, who is on remand at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, is not required to attend the next court mention.
Last month, the QT reported a huge police brief detailing the alleged murder of Allison Baden-Clay was complete.
Crown prosecutor Danny Boyle told Brisbane Magistrates Court on September 24 an autopsy report, forensic computer analysis, financial analysis, hydrology report and a statement from a principal investigator now had been added to the 466 statements originally handed over to Baden-Clay's legal team.
Defence lawyer Darren Mahony asked the court to set a tentative date for an application to cross-examine witnesses at a committal hearing.
"There is experienced counsel involved on both sides and I expect most issues of cross-examination will be resolved by consent," he told the court.
