AN ELDERLY farmer accused of gunning down and murdering an environmental compliance officer will remain behind bars after his case was adjourned.
Ian Robert Turnbull appeared via video link in Moree Local Court yesterday morning where his case was briefly mentioned.
Turnbull is charged with murdering 51-year-old Glen Turner, an Office of Environment and Heritage employee who was in Croppa Creek on routine inspections on July 29, last year, when he was allegedly shot several times.
Turnbull is also charged with detaining a person with intent to commit a serious indictable offence and common assault against Robert Strange, Mr Turner’s colleague who witnessed the fatal incident.
The 80-year-old Croppa Creek farmer, who was yesterday represented by Moree solicitor Sylvester Joseph, has been held in custody since he was arrested on the night of the alleged murder last year.
He has failed twice in his bid for release in both the Moree Local Court and the state’s Supreme Court in Sydney last year.
A brief of evidence compiled by investigators has been served on the defence and is being examined by Turnbull’s legal team.
Turnbull is yet to enter a plea to any of the offences and made no application for bail during yesterday’s brief proceedings.
It was formally refused by Magistrate Michael O’Brien who granted the adjournment and ordered the case to return to court in June.
