A COURT has been told a son charged with the stabbing murder of his mother may have “a defence” against the charge after seeing a specialist doctor.
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Bradley Craig Mottram told his solicitor “he doesn’t wish to appear” via video link from prison before his case was listed in Armidale Local Court on Wednesday morning.
The now 20-year-old Mottram is charged with the stabbing murder of his mother, Simone Mottram, on October 19, 2015, at her Inverell home.
Legal Aid solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said while the case “has some age about it” more time was needed.
“There is the possibility of a defence,” she told the court.
Ms McAuliffe said Mottram had now seen a psychiatrist and the defence needed one month to provide the specialist’s report to the DPP and also “confirm instructions”.
“It’s going to take more than a month,” Magistrate Michael Holmes said.
Ms McAuliffe said the public defender had been briefed in the matter but another conference was needed, "so things should hopefully progress quickly after that”.
“It is a very serious matter,” she told the court, pointing to a bundle of further evidence that had been served by detectives.
“This is additional brief material served on me [on Tuesday].”
The court was told that all the evidence in the case had now been served by detectives from Strike Force Lotred, who were seated in court.
Strike Force Lotred was set up by Inverell detectives to investigate Ms Mottram’s death.
Investigators allege Mottram crashed his mother’s red Hyundai Getz down an embankment off the Copeton Dam Rd, after allegedly stabbing her several times in her Froude St home.
She died at the scene.
Mr Holmes said the case had been listed for committal on Wednesday, but he was prepared to grant the adjournment.
“I don't know why I write warned on the papers, I'm going to have to come up with another word,” he told the court, adjourning the case for a month.
“I hope to have a committal or some sort of resolution on that day.”
Mottram made no application for bail.
He has been in custody since the day of the alleged murder after he was arrested by police on the outskirts of Inverell.