The High Court of Australia has reinstated Gerard Baden-Clay’s murder conviction.
Baden-Clay was convicted of murder in 2014 following the 2012 discovery of his wife Allison’s body on the bank of a Brisbane creek, 10 days after she went missing.
Last year, Baden-Clay’s lawyers argued Allison could have been killed unintentionally during an argument, and the state’s Court of Appeal downgraded the charge to manslaughter.
The highly controversial decision has now been overruled – a charge that he is unable to appeal. He will continue to serve his life sentence and will not be eligible for parole until 2027.
Kerry Anne Walker, Allison Baden Clay’s best friend and spokesperson for the family, gave an emotional statement outside the court.
“The law has acknowledged what we, who were closest to her, knew from that very morning Allison went missing — that is — that she was murdered,” she said outside the court.
“Her legacy will be her beautiful three girls who, surrounded now by their memories of Allison and the love and support of Allison’s devoted family, are thriving in their busy lives…
“All who know them are confident they will go on to achieve great things.
“I am in awe every day of how well Allison’s parents Geoff and Priscilla and her sister Vanessa deal with their day-to-day busy lives.
“The girls are certainly a tribute to them.”
