Basham guilty
Jury returns guilty verdict.
WARNING: This story contains details that will be distressing to some readers.
The jury in the Supreme Court trial for alleged murderer Adrian Basham has delivered a verdict of guilty.
After retiring on Tuesday afternoon to deliberate, the jury foreperson on Thursday at 12.50pm handed down the verdict on one count of murder.
The judge’s associate asked the jury whether they had reached a verdict and the foreperson replied “yes”.
The associate then asked whether the jury found Adrian Basham guilty or not guilty on the one charge of murder and the foreperson replied “guilty”.
Justice Lesley Taylor then thanked the jury for their service and discharged them.
Counsel for the prosecution Nanette Rogers and defence counsel Ashley Halphen then agreed on a date for the plea hearing - a pre-sentence hearing - for Monday September 19, after which time Justice Taylor will deliver her sentence.
Yesterday Justice Taylor adjourned the trial until September 19.
Adrian James Basham was accused of killing the mother of their three children, Samantha Fraser, 38, at her Cowes garage on July 23, 2018.
Mr Basham pleaded not guilty.
The trial was televised online and Mr Basham could not be seen on the screen. About 60 people listened to the online verdict, including witnesses and media.
Mr Halphen said they did not dispute that Mr Basham was in the garage – in breach of an intervention order - and had inflicted “a number of non-fatal injuries on her body”.
However, the defence argued Ms Fraser was alive when Mr Basham left the garage, alleging she had instead suicided by hanging.
The trial began on March 16 and the prosecution concluded its evidence on April 11, with the defence opting to call no witnesses.
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