After orchestrating attacks using acid, petrol and a wood-splitter, Sheree Glastonbury murdered her partner with an insulin overdose before dismembering his body and dumping his torso in a wheelie bin, a court has heard.
Geoffrey McLean is the victim of a conspiracy involving two of Glastonbury's former lovers that ended with the 55-year-old's death in August 2022, prosecutors told Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The first attack occurred on April 10, 2022, said prosecutor Mark Alessandrini.
Glastonbury, 49, and Mr McLean were together at home when he heard the dogs barking at something in the front yard and outside went to investigate.
There, he was confronted by Mark Murphy, Glastonbury's workmate of 10 years and sometimes intimate partner, armed with a sauce bottle, Mr Alessandrini said.
He squirted the bottle at Mr McLean, covering him with an acidic liquid that stung his eyes.
Three days later, Mr McLean was sleeping on the living room couch when awoken by something hard hitting the side of his face.
Standing behind him was Murphy, armed with a wood-splitter and preparing to strike again, Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal heard.
Mr McLean deflected the second swing and screamed for Glastonbury to call the police, but she delayed providing the address to triple zero, Mr Alessandrini said.
Mr McLean was eventually taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he underwent a nine-hour surgery on his fractured skull and cheekbone.
"Mobile phone records confirm on the day of the offence more than 100 calls and messages were made between Sheree Glastonbury and Mark Murphy," Mr Alessandrini said.
One month later Mr McLean went to get something for Glastonbury from the boot of her car when met by a man standing outside the front door holding a bucket of liquid.
This man was Anthony Lloyd, another of Glastonbury's former lovers.
"Without saying anything, the male threw the liquid towards the victim," Mr Alessandrini said.
"The victim felt burning to his face, shoulder and back. The male then produced a cigarette lighter and tried to set the victim alight."
In the ensuing struggle, Mr McLean handed a phone to Glastonbury and told her to call the police, but it was only after he asked the next door neighbours to call triple zero that police eventually arrived.
Mr McLean suffered burns to his shoulder and back, and required skin grafts.
Lloyd was jailed in July for five-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to the attack.
"He has provided statements disclosing that the attack was committed at the request and direction of Ms Glastonbury," the prosecutor said.
"Glastonbury wanted the victim harmed to the point that he would have significant injuries so he would not be able to remain in the house."
Finally, on August 18, after Mr McLean returned home from golf, the prosecutor alleged Glastonbury injected him with a lethal dose of insulin.
Murphy allegedly helped Glastonbury drag Mr McLean's body to the carport and cut off his arms, legs and head with a hacksaw.
As the details of her ex-partner's mutilation were read to the court, Glastonbury, appearing via audio-visual link, sobbed violently.
The pair then transported Mr McLean's body to Murphy's house and stuffed the torso into his neighbour's wheelie bin, Mr Alessandrini said.
Three days later, they hired a truck and drove it to Cadell, 140km northeast of Adelaide.
"It is suspected that the purpose of this journey was to dispose of body parts of Geoffrey McLean and evidence related to the murder," Mr Alessandrini said.
The pair were allegedly captured by safety cameras in the truck's cabin and Murphy subsequently sent voice messages to Glastonbury asking her to return the truck.
"Murderer, where's the truck? Sheree Glastonbury, you're a murderer, where's the truck?" he is alleged to have said.
Mr McLean's decomposing torso was found in October 2022. The rest of his body is yet to be located.
Glastonbury and Murphy are yet to enter pleas to their charges, including murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault.
She will face court again later in January to continue a bid to be released on bail.
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