Jurors in a high-profile Australian murder trial have been taken to the remote Queensland beach where the victim was found.
Toyah Cordingley was repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object and put in a shallow sandy grave with little or no hope of surviving, the jury has heard.
Rajwinder Singh, 41, denies murdering Ms Cordingley on a Sunday afternoon in October 2018 in Far North Queensland.
The 24-year-old's body was discovered by her father the following day on Wangetti Beach - a stretch of coastline between the tourist centres of Cairns and Port Douglas.
The jury of ten men and two women, along with three backup jurors, attended the beach with the judge and barristers as the trial moves into its second week. In a nod to the tropical conditions, all parties were dressed casually.
The jurors were led about 1.2km north up the sand to see where Ms Cordingley was discovered. Earlier, four cones marked where her car had been parked. This visit was to assist jurors in understanding the case geography without presenting any official evidence.
Prior to Ms Cordingley’s body discovery, Mr. Singh allegedly flew from Australia to India, evading authorities. Prosecutors argue he had a confrontation with Ms. Cordingley before her murder, with circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime.
As the trial progresses, the defence argues that Singh is innocent, attempting to shift suspicion to others. Key evidence will continue to unfold in upcoming court sessions.
