Australia - Frances Crawford 49, found dead after suspicious lawn mower accident in Queensland.

[Rocket333]

IMO, upon that breach he should have immediately been locked up .

Here he is waltzing around the community & acting as if he a wholesome citizen, as opposed to someone who is alleged to use ‘murder’ as his modus operandi.

Personally, I don’t want to find myself accidentally face to face with him !

My thoughts too. It’s disturbing to know he’s moving through everyday spaces as though nothing’s amiss. That breach posed a risk to public safety and the response didn’t match the severity. Assuming people can reset and re-enter the community without consequence feels like a blatant failure of safeguards.

Why does public danger sometimes have to be proven through repeated trauma before it’s taken seriously?

 

[BreakingNews]

My thoughts too. It’s disturbing to know he’s moving through everyday spaces as though nothing’s amiss. That breach posed a risk to public safety and the response didn’t match the severity. Assuming people can reset and re-enter the community without consequence feels like a blatant failure of safeguards.

Why does public danger sometimes have to be proven through repeated trauma before it’s taken seriously?

I don't know what ever happened to when a breech automatically meant a return to prison. These days more and more people are breeching without penalty. It is rare for someone accused of murder to be let out of prison in the first place. He does seem privileged in moo.

 

[Rocket333]

I don't know what ever happened to when a breech automatically meant a return to prison. These days more and more people are breeching without penalty. It is rare for someone accused of murder to be let out of prison in the first place. He does seem privileged in moo.

Sure does. When someone accused of a violent crime receives bail that most families could never afford, and then breaches it without consequence it reflects not just legal leniency, but privilege and institutional permission.

Those three grieving kids scraped by through crowdfunding, while their father, charged with their mother’s murder, was handed $250 000 in bail by their very own grandfather. Crawford walks free, has the spacious family home & secluded property all to himself, violates the conditions, and the system dismisses it like a procedural footnote. That money could’ve changed the kids lives but it will never reach them. The court absorbs his breach and the kids are left to absorb the cost. It’s justice with a price tag, payable only by privilege.

 

[JLZ]

Sure does. When someone accused of a violent crime receives bail that most families could never afford, and then breaches it without consequence it reflects not just legal leniency, but privilege and institutional permission.

Those three grieving kids scraped by through crowdfunding, while their father, charged with their mother’s murder, was handed $250 000 in bail by their very own grandfather. Crawford walks free, has the spacious family home & secluded property all to himself, violates the conditions, and the system dismisses it like a procedural footnote. That money could’ve changed the kids lives but it will never reach them. The court absorbs his breach and the kids are left to absorb the cost. It’s justice with a price tag, payable only by privilege.

Bail money gets returned, unless the accused person runs away.

 

[BreakingNews]

Dbm

 

[BreakingNews]

Bail money gets returned, unless the accused person runs away.

 

[BreakingNews]

You sign your bail conditions. If you breach any of the conditions of your bail, then you can forfeit your money or any surety. That is the whole idea of bail conditions.

Do you get bail money back? A how to guide | NGM Lawyers Do you get bail money back? A how to guide | NGM Lawyers

 

[JLZ]

You sign your bail conditions. If you breach any of the conditions of your bail, then you can forfeit your money or any surety. That is the whole idea of bail conditions.

Do you get bail money back? A how to guide | NGM Lawyers Do you get bail money back? A how to guide | NGM Lawyers

I wonder how often bail does get forfeited. I have the impression I read of bail conditions broken somewhat frequently.

 

[Marg944]

This is NSW Fact Sheet:-

https://districtcourt.nsw.gov.au/documents/forms/Bail_surety_fact_sheet_v1_June_2023_.pdf

 

[Marg944]

After reading about Surety, it is only that the offender will turn up to their next court date.

So our Don Juan here hasn’t put his father’s $250,000 at risk by breaking one of his bail conditions of not being at his address during a curfew check. Seems like the $250,000 is safe, at the moment.

Surety (Queensland)​

“As part of your bail conditions, the magistrate or judge may demand a “surety”. A surety is a person who agrees to give an amount or forfeit a sum of money or property if you don’t show up at court when you’re supposed to.”

Bail

General information about how to get bail, applying for bail, bail conditions, surety, failing to appeal and changing your bail conditions.

www.legalaid.qld.gov.au

 

[Marg944]

 

[Marg944]

Paywalled - but looks like he will be back in court next week to fight the charges.

Robert Crawford accused of murdering wife Frances to appear in Toowoomba court on breach of bail charge​

“The former pilot alleged to have murdered his wife and staged her death as a lawnmower accident will fight to have a bail offence wiped.

A Lockyer Valley father accused of murdering his wife and staging her death to look like a lawnmower accident is expected to appear in court next week.“

https://www.thechronicle.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-toowoomba/robert-crawford-accused-of-murdering-wife-francis-to-appear-in-toowoomba-court-on-breach-of-bail-charge/news-story/f81241b7eddfec88f3e1ed4973382213

 

[Marg944]

Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge​

Thu 14 August 2025

“A man accused of murdering his wife by staging a lawnmower accident will face a hearing into allegations he breached his bail curfew.

Court documents show he is alleged to have breached his 8pm to 8am curfew on June 13 when police knocked on his home's door to check compliance.

Crawford was listed to appear in person on Thursday but his solicitor, Andrew McGinness, appeared by phone instead for the brief mention.

Mr McGinness told magistrate Mark Howden that he was ready to proceed to a hearing on the breach of bail charge on Monday.

Mr Howden ordered the breach of bail charge be listed for hearing on Monday.”

Accused wife killer to answer curfew-breach charge

Family members of a woman allegedly murdered by her husband, then placed at the scene to fake a lawnmower accident, did not get to see the accused man in court.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[Marg944]

https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__external/CourtsLawList/ToowoombaCourt.pdf

 

[Marg944]

‘No case to answer’: Murder-accused former RAAF pilot Robert John Crawford cleared of breaching bail​

“A former air force pilot charged with the murder of his wife and faking her death as a lawnmower accident has had an alleged bail breach dismissed in Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Police said officers attended Mr Crawford’s home at 1.55am on June 13 to conduct a compliance check during his night-time curfew.

Prosecutors claimed officers knocked on the front door, checked a window, and knocked several more times over but received no response before leaving.

Mr Crawford’s barrister Matt Jackson told the court his client had been home at the time and was asleep. He said Mr Crawford co-operated with police during an interview the following day.

……

“There is no evidence before me that the defendant was not at the property,” Mr Howden said.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/courts-law/murderaccused-former-raaf-pilot-robert-john-crawford-faces-hearing-charged-with-breaching-bail/news-story/7482e726667dd3f9d62a0c1dae854c10

 

[SouthAussie]

It sounds as if his lawyers also tried to make the prosecution pay for the defence's work on the breach of bail charge.


The defence sought an adjournment to prepare an application for costs associated with the case, but after considering the request, Mr Howden declined it.

Update for ride-on mower murder accused

A former RAAF pilot accused of murdering his wife and making it look like a lawnmower accident has been in court on a separate charge.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[Marg944]

 

[Trooper]

It sounds as if his lawyers also tried to make the prosecution pay for the defence's work on the breach of bail charge.


The defence sought an adjournment to prepare an application for costs associated with the case, but after considering the request, Mr Howden declined it.

Update for ride-on mower murder accused

A former RAAF pilot accused of murdering his wife and making it look like a lawnmower accident has been in court on a separate charge.

au.news.yahoo.com

When I first read about the breach thingo, I thought, ooooo QLD pol are snarky in spades , banging on the door then rocking up with a notice of breach.. It looks to me like the court took that approach as well, finding no substance to the QLD POL claim. I rather like the QLDPOL approach to the situation , though.. they are not mucking around with Crawford , not one bit..

Be interesting to see which way the court goes on today's petition by the accused.. the court might clunk him around a bit this time !!!!

 

[SouthAussie]

"Mr Crawford is no longer a RAAF pilot and is not employed by the Australian Defence Department.

A department spokesperson said that Mr Crawford was suspended from his role in the ADF in October 2024, soon after his arrest, and he was "separated" from the ADF in April 2025."

Former RAAF pilot accused of murdering wife cleared of bail curfew breach

Robert Crawford, who is accused of murdering his wife Frances, has been cleared of a breach of bail, relating to a night curfew.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Trooper]

"Mr Crawford is no longer a RAAF pilot and is not employed by the Australian Defence Department.

A department spokesperson said that Mr Crawford was suspended from his role in the ADF in October 2024, soon after his arrest, and he was "separated" from the ADF in April 2025."

Former RAAF pilot accused of murdering wife cleared of bail curfew breach

Robert Crawford, who is accused of murdering his wife Frances, has been cleared of a breach of bail, relating to a night curfew.

www.abc.net.au

'seperated'.....a delicate way of saying terminated. He can't collect his super until he is 67, either... o well..