Former RAAF pilot on trial for alleged murder of wife
Robert Crawford, a former RAAF squadron leader, faces a murder trial in Brisbane over the 2024 death of his wife, with the defence claiming the incident was an accident.
Former Royal Australian Air Force squadron leader Robert Crawford appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court for the second day of his murder trial on Tuesday. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of killing his wife, Frances Crawford, whose body was discovered at the couple’s Upper Lockyer property near Toowoomba in the early hours of July 30, 2024.
Crown prosecutor Chris Cook alleged that Crawford strangled and assaulted his wife before staging her body beside a ride-on lawnmower to suggest an accidental fall. The prosecution also said Crawford had urged his wife to cancel an $873,000 life-insurance policy the year she died.
Defence barrister Saul Holt KC told the jury that the evidence points to an accident, not a homicide, and that phone records and other digital data undermine the Crown’s narrative. He argued that the prosecution’s “Hollywood” account is unsubstantiated.
The court heard that Crawford engaged in numerous extramarital relationships over roughly two decades, including affairs arranged through workplace contacts, dating apps, and travel abroad. Admissions were presented indicating that he contracted a sexually transmitted infection, which he initially claimed to have acquired from a toilet seat, but later admitted was transmitted through sexual activity.
Details of a set of 18 behavioural “boundaries” that Crawford allegedly agreed to in an effort to rebuild his wife’s trust were also disclosed, covering requirements such as full access to his devices, reporting his whereabouts, and seeking approval for purchases over $30. The Crown argues that breach of these terms could have led to a costly divorce, with combined assets estimated at about $5.4 million.
The trial is ongoing.