Accused murderer Robert John Crawford breaches bail over staging wife's lawnmower death
Robert John Crawford, who allegedly staged a fatal lawnmower accident to cover up his wife's murder, has been arrested for breaching his bail.
Police confirmed they arrested and charged Crawford, 47, on June 14.
The former Air Force pilot was granted bail earlier this year under strict conditions — including a $250,000 surety, a nightly curfew confining him to his Upper Lockyer home, and daily check-ins with police.
It's understood the alleged breach involves the curfew.
The former Air Force pilot is facing charges of murder and misconduct with a corpse over the death of his wife, Frances Crawford, at the couple's rural Queensland property in July 2023.
Frances, 49, was found unresponsive at the bottom of a retaining wall just before 3.40am on July 30.
At the time, Crawford claimed she had rolled a ride-on mower and called triple-0 saying: 'I don't know, I just found her ... I had to pull [the mower] off.'
Police allege the scene was manipulated to appear accidental.
Frances was wearing UGG boots, suffered trauma to the neck and head, and had Crawford's DNA under her fingernails.
Prosecutors say the evidence 'favoured strangulation.'
Crawford has maintained his innocence, claiming Frances went outside late that night to move the mower away from the sprinklers.
He is due to reappear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on August 14.
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