Further delay to Island murder trial

THE on again-off again trial of the Phillip Island man charged with the murder of his wife in 2018 is off again.

Adrian James Basham, 44, who has previously pleaded not guilty to murdering Samantha Fraser, 38, at Cowes on Phillip Island on Monday, July 23, 2018, was to have appeared in the Melbourne Supreme Court on Monday, March 7, 2022.

But the trial has been further delayed to a date yet to be fixed.

Some pre-trial/preliminary hearings are to continue next week after which there is expected to more clarity on the trial arrangements.

Mr Basham, a fly-in fly-out construction worker, entered his not guilty plea in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in October 2019, at the conclusion of a committal hearing.

Mr Basham was ordered to stand trial by Magistrate Ann Collins on two sets of charges, some details of which have been suppressed by the court.

If you or anyone you know needs support, contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).