Source : Perth Now news
A police officer’s double-murder trial is set to resume with a close confidant continuing in the witness box.
Beau Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, suggesting the two men died after two separate struggles in Mr Baird’s house.
The senior constable entered the Paddington house in February 2024 armed with his police pistol and heavily disguised.
But he did not intend to kill his former partner, Mr Baird, and did not shoot the other man, his barrister has told a NSW Supreme Court jury.
Close friend Georgia Cook will give evidence when the trial enters its second week on Monday.
On Friday, Ms Cook recounted a dinner the pair had in May 2023, when Lamarre-Condon propositioned her.
“What would you do if I told you I killed somebody?” Ms Cook told the jury he said to her.
“Would you help me hide the body?”
Ms Cook, who added that the police officer laughed off the comment, said she made clear she would not help.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t do that – but I did do something crazy,” Ms Cook alleged Lamarre-Condon continued.
The friend said the senior constable told her about breaking into Mr Baird’s home and stealing a camera he had given him as a gift.
Lamarre-Condon had on more than one occasion surveilled the home, using his mother’s car and wearing a black hoodie to avoid detection, Ms Cook told the jury.
As well as contesting two murder charges, Lamarre-Condon denies breaking into Mr Baird’s home in August 2023 while disguised.
Lamarre-Condon’s barrister has conceded his client did some “stupid things” but disputes he exhibited threatening behaviours before the fatal incident in the Paddington terrace.
“He never planned to kill or ever cause any harm to anyone,” John Stratton SC has told jurors.
“It was in self-defence.”
More than 100 witnesses are expected to be called during the 12-week trial, including dozens of police officers and friends and family of the three men.
More than 20 were called in the trial’s opening week.
