Robert Crawford trial: Emotional abuse claim aired by mistress in murder trial

A woman who was found dead next to a ride-on mower was emotionally abusive towards the man accused of causing her death, a court has been told.

Robert Crawford, 49, is on trial for the alleged murder of his wife Frances on July 29, 2024.

The prosecution alleges that Crawford strangled his wife and then staged the scene with the mower to make her death appear a tragic accident.

They further allege he falsified a series of text messages with his wife on the night of her death to cover his tracks.

The court has heard Crawford had engaged in a series of infidelities throughout the course of his marriage.

On Tuesday one of the women with whom Crawford had carried out an affair, Emily Renshaw, gave evidence.

She said Crawford had told her that his wife was emotionally abusive towards him.

“She would call him a narcissist,” she said.

“He said she would act quite cold and pick fights with him in front of the kids.”

The jury has heard that Mrs Crawford closely surveilled her husband’s finances and communications and made him take regular polygraph tests.

Ms Renshaw told the court that Crawford said he was unhappy and felt trapped, alone and isolated in the marriage.

However, he was reluctant to leave due to family and financial reasons.

“He didn’t want to put his kids through it,” Ms Renshaw said, explaining that the youngest of his three children was still in school.

He also did not want to be exiled from his church community and friends.

Ms Renshaw said after breaking up with Crawford, she received a message from his wife, whom she immediately blocked.

The jury also heard from another woman, Sarah Goodsell, a friend of Crawford’s to whom he confided intimate details about his marriage.

Mrs Crawford also incorrectly suspected her husband of an affair with Ms Goodsell.

The jury was shown messages from Ms Goodsell attempting to encourage Crawford to stand up to his wife’s requirement that he submit to polygraph testing to stay in the marriage.

“I’m like, sure ... I can beat those anyway,” Crawford responded.

A friend of Mrs Crawford’s, Elizabeth Calabria, told the jury Frances had confided to her that she had realised her husband was not going to change.

“She said she hoped he would actually fail the polygraph because it was an agreement of the reconciliation,” she said.

“She was just at the point where she’d given up hope.”

The court also heard from Peter Wuttke, a pilot whom Crawford knew from the RAAF.

Mr Wuttke had been in conversation by text with Crawford on the night his wife died.

He said that about 9pm, Crawford had told him his wife was telling him to bring the mower under cover.

“It’s my understanding that Rob believes she’s moved the mower at some point,” he said.

The trial continues on Wednesday before Justice Lincoln Crowley.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Crisis Care Helpline on 1800 199 008.