Accused murderer Gregory John William Quartermaine ‘struggling’ to sit through shocking evidence at trial

Accused murderer Gregory John William Quartermaine was yesterday considering changing his plea as he struggled to sit through police testimony of the alleged drug- fuelled killing that rocked his home town of Tambellup. Mr Quartermaine hung his head at Albany Supreme Court as Katanning police’s First Class Const. Michael Le Poidevin and Const. Rhys Challen gave their accounts of what happened in the early hours of August 4. The 42-year-old is alleged to have decapitated and dismembered 60-year-old family friend Wilfred Williams at a house on Garrity Street, while other people — including children — were inside. Defence counsel Bruno Illari is not contesting that his client killed Mr Williams, but is arguing Mr Quartermaine did not have the intent to commit murder because he was in a “drug-induced psychosis”. Shortly after the Katanning officers left the stand yesterday, Mr Illari said his client was struggling to get through the trial. “Mr Quartermaine has asked not to be present during evidence being given,” he said. “He wants it to be over and done with and is thinking about changing his plea.” However, Justice Stephen Hall said he would not accept a change of plea given how far the trial had progressed. Justice Hall said the Supreme Court was “not like a classroom, where he can put his hand up and ask to be excused”. “Not only is it a fundamental right to, but he should be present during his trial,” Justice Hall said. The trial was adjourned at 11.30am and a doctor was organised to assess Mr Quartermaine’s mental state at Albany Regional Prison. Const. Le Poidevin was the first witness to take the stand on day three of the trial, telling the court he arrived about 12.35am to find a dark-skinned man walking out of the front door with his hands on his head. Const. Le Poidevin said while the accused was being arrested, he shouted: “It wasn’t speed, it was God that made me do it”. He said Mr Quartermaine looked directly at him and said “I took his head and I’ll take yours too”. In delivering his evidence, Const. Challen said the pair were working the night shift. He told the court he entered the property, saw Mr Williams’ body, and escorted three females out of the house. The Katanning officers said they searched Mr Quartermaine and found several items in his pockets, including a mobile phone, a bag of cannabis and what appeared to be a chunk of human flesh. On Tuesday — day two of the trial — three children were among those who took the stand. One young female witness, who was 14 at the time, said Mr Quartermaine was a “big drug addict” and was a frequent user of methamphetamine and speed. On the night of August 3-4, she said Mr Quartermaine “wasn’t the usual Greg” and was displaying “non-human behaviour”. “When he’s on drugs it’s scary, but it was never this bad, he was almost demonic,” she said. The girl said she remembered Mr Quartermaine saying “I have to kill Uncle Willy”. The trial continues.