FOUR people charged in connection with the shooting murder of Senior Constable David Rixon appeared in Tamworth Local Court yesterday for a hearing that lasted just 30 minutes.
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It was the first time all four accused had appeared together and it came as the slain highway patrolman’s widow Fiona and other family members attended the trial.
The Rixon family sat quietly at the back of the court room for the length of the hearing, accompanied by a Tamworth duty officer.
The man accused of shooting Senior Constable Rixon, Michael Jacobs, will now undergo psychiatric analysis as a result of yesterday’s proceedings and will reappear at court next month with his co-accused.
There was an awkward moment in the court room shortly before the matters were called.
Co-accused Sharon Strudwick – Jacobs’s former girlfriend – attempted to take a seat right next to Rixon’s family prior to her matter being heard.
Michael Jacobs, 48, appeared first via audio-video link from the Goulburn Correctional Centre dressed in a green prison jacket and sporting a grey beard.
He faces a murder charge in relation to the shooting of the 40-year-old highway patrol officer on Friday, March 2.
Senior Constable Rixon had been undertaking a routine traffic-stop in Lorraine St, West Tamworth, about 8am when the shots were fired, allegedly by Jacobs. The policeman was rushed to hospital but died from the gunshot wounds.
Jacobs sat silently yesterday while Magistrate Roger Prowse deliberated on the adjournment date.
The defence asked that Jacobs’s matter be adjourned for six to eight weeks while their client sought a psychiatric assessment.
The magistrate argued the defence would have to come up with a convincing reason to adjourn the matter for that long, considering Jacobs had been in custody since March 20.
Magistrate Prowse continued to question why, if Jacobs had been in custody since then, hadn’t the appropriate measures to test his mental health been put in place.
The defence said Jacobs’s mental health was relevant to the court proceedings.
His next appearance was set at September 26.
The court was told Jacobs was also facing charges of driving while disqualified and that an application for a forensic procedure on a child or incapable person was being sought.
Those matters will also be dealt with next month.
Sharon Strudwick, 47, faced charges of being an accessory after the fact to murder, hindering the discovery of evidence regarding a serious indictable offence, and possessing ammunition without holding a licence, permit or authority.
It is alleged firearm cartridges with links to the shooting had been found in a sewer behind Strudwick’s home.
Strudwick had been out on bail and yesterday was granted a continuation of that bail to appear again on September 26.
A 22-year-old man – who can’t be named for legal reasons – also appeared, charged with accessory after the fact to murder and hindering the discovery of evidence.
His matters were also adjourned until September 26.
The fourth co-accused, Monica Sampson, 29, appeared via audio-video link from the Emu Plains Correctional Centre in prison greens on the same charges.
Sampson was the fourth person charged over the incident.
Court documents allege she hindered the discovery of evidence by disposing of 27 unfired .38-calibre cartridges on March 27.
Sampson did not apply for bail and will remain in the correctional facility until her next court appearance on September 26.
Solicitors for the three co-accused sought adjournments to wait for telephone transcripts to be produced.
