A former Sydney police officer accused of killing two men with his service weapon will be back in court in two weeks, after his lawyer was replaced by legal aid.
Beau Lamarre-Condon, 29, is accused of murdering the TV presenter Jesse Baird – whom he had reportedly previously dated – along with Baird’s partner, Luke Davies, in February.
In court on Tuesday, Lamarre-Condon’s lawyer John Walford withdrew from the case. Guardian Australia understands Lamarre-Condon applied for, and was granted, public funding for his case: he will be represented by Legal Aid NSW.
Lamarre-Condon appeared in court by video link from prison, where he is on remand. He did not speak except to say “thanks” to the magistrate, Clare Farnan. He was removed from the screen before his matter was dealt with in court.
He is yet to enter a plea.
The magistrate said it was “regrettable that legal representation is changing at this late stage”, and emphasised to his new counsel the need to avoid any further delays.
Police have alleged Lamarre-Condon shot Baird and Davies with his NSW police handgun inside Baird’s Paddington home sometime on 19 February before dumping their bodies, wrapped in surfboard bags, on a rural property in Bungonia, about 200km south-west of Sydney.
Police alleged the attack was premeditated and followed a months-long campaign of “predatory behaviour” targeting Baird, with whom Lamarre-Condon had had an “on-and-off-again relationship”.
Lamarre-Condon was arrested after presenting to Bondi police station, four days after the alleged murders. The bodies of Baird and Davies were found on 27 February.
Lamarre-Condon has been in custody since his arrest, and has been sacked by the NSW police force. He faces two charges of domestic violence-related murder, as well as a third charge of aggravated break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Police first became concerned for the welfare of Baird and Davies in late February when a council worker found bloodied clothing and personal possessions – including keys and credit cards – in a skip bin in Cronulla.
The pair had last been seen at a pre-Mardi Gras party.
That concern escalated when police found blood in Baird’s share house in Paddington, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Police have alleged at least one bullet casing was found at the scene which was ballistically linked to a police-issue handgun issued to Lamarre-Condon.
Lamarre-Condon’s new defence had sought an adjournment for five months to have a forensic psychiatrist’s assessment made and to assess fully the brief of evidence. But the long delay was opposed by prosecutors who argued it could be done more quickly.
The magistrate granted the two-week adjournment. Lamarre-Condon remains on remand at Long Bay jail in Sydney.
