Qld: Court to rule on Magistrate in Childers case

AAP General News (Australia)
01-02-2001
Qld: Court to rule on Magistrate in Childers case

The Queensland Supreme Court will tomorrow be asked to disqualify a magistrate from
hearing the case of a man accused of causing the Childers backpacker hostel fire.

ROBERT PAUL LONG, 37, has appeared before magistrate MICHAEL HALLIDAY for a committal
hearing charged with arson and the murder of two backpackers - West Australian twin sisters,
STACEY and KELLY SLARKE, aged 22.

Long's defence counsel CRAIG CHOWDHURY unsuccessfully asked MR HALLIDAY to step down
from the case after the magistrate expressed his condolences to the relatives of …