The man accused of being behind the wheel of a boat which crashed in Perth’s south, killing his wife and another woman whose son plays for a Western Australian AFL side, will go to trial next year.
John Phillip Burdon, 47, made his first appearance before the WA Supreme Court on Monday, where he formally entered pleas of not guilty to two charges of unlawfully killing Deborah Burdon and Kylie Bazzo.
The women died after the boat in which they were travelling hit a channel marker in the Mandurah Estuary late on the night of January 21, with police alleging Mr Burdon was the skipper.
The impact threw both women into the water, and caused Mr Burdon serious injuries.
His wife Debbie, 54, was pulled from the water and died at the scene soon after the crash, but the body of Ms Bazzo, 52, wasn’t found until the following evening.
Ms Bazzo is the mother of young West Coast Eagles key defender Rhett Bazzo, and the wife of the late WAFL legend Steve Bazzo, who died of cancer in 20125.
Mr Burdon, who is out on bail, appeared in court in person on Monday, where Supreme Court Justice Bruno Fiannaca set trial dates for November 25 to December 13.
The accused’s bail was renewed on the same terms, meaning he will essentially be free for nearly a year before his trail.
He’s due to reappear before the court on March 6 for a voluntary criminal case conference.
Neither Mr Burdon nor his lawyer, Michael Tudori, spoke to reporters waiting outside.
In his initial court appearances, Mr Burdon walked with assistance from a walking aid due to injuries suffered in the boat crash, but has since been walking unaided.
He was also joined by three women who offered him support, and was seen embracing one of them after the hearing had wrapped up.