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The murder trial of Greg Lynn, the man who accused of killing two campers, will be moved until 2024 as he faces financial difficulties.
The six-week trial was meant to begin in October but on Thursday, Lynn’s barrister Dermot Dann, KC, revealed his client was facing funding issues.
A four-wheel-drive impounded by police and (inset left) campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay, and (right) Greg Lynn, charged with murdering the pair.
Dann said it was unclear if and when the issues would be resolved, but asked the court to move the trial to next year.
“There are a number of funding issues trying to be dealt with at the present time and they’re going to take a long time to resolve, I’ve been told,” he said.
“This is a privately funded matter, but in terms of it continuing to be … there’s a battle in that regard with various entities.”
Supreme Court judicial registrar Timothy Freeman said an exact date would be scheduled in coming days, but estimated the trial would likely begin in February.
Forensic police near Dargo where the remains of the couple were found.Credit: Jason South
Lynn, 56, faces two charges of murder over the deaths of Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, who vanished from Wonnangatta Valley, in Victoria’s High Country, in March 2020.
Police allege Lynn murdered the pair, before burning their bodies at a second location, north of Dargo. It’s alleged he then returned to the scene to further conceal the remains.
In January, a magistrate committed Lynn to stand trial after finding there was enough evidence to put him before a jury. Lynn has pleaded not guilty.
Lynn watched Thursday’s hearing remotely from custody as he is being held on remand.
Lynn’s defence barrister Dermot Dann, KC.Credit: Nine News
The court heard documents filed recently included a prosecution opening that spanned 31 pages and 145 paragraphs.
A new statement from a forensic officer had also recently been submitted into evidence.
The court heard a number of issues raised by Lynn’s defence team would need to be addressed before the trial began and were expected to be aired over three weeks later this year.
Dann said his team would seek to have 15 items of evidence excluded including Lynn’s record of interview and “basically everything that flows thereafter”.
He flagged that if successful, there might not be a trial at all.
“Depending on the outcome of these applications to exclude evidence … there would be time needed – if there still is a trial – for the defence to assess their position,” Dann said.
Prosecutor John Dickie expressed concern about delaying the trial, particularly when there were no indications about when Lynn’s financial issues were likely to be resolved.
“The prosecution is very keen to keep things moving along,” he said. “We’re concerned about the delay.”
Freeman said the current prosecution evidence the defence sought to challenge could have a “significant impact” on the complexion of the trial, and labelled them “big ticket” pre-trial issues.
Freeman said the current issues warranted moving the trial to next year.
Hill and Clay last made contact with friends on March 20, 2020, soon after arriving in the High Country.
Lynn, from Caroline Springs, was arrested after more than a year and a half after the campers disappeared.
Their remains were found during a search of bushland on November 30, 2021.
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