Wife-murder case in court

A 61-year-old man charged with the murder of his wife after a fiery car crash on their farm in Borden a decade ago has appeared in a Perth court.

Gregory Paul Johnston appeared in Stirling Gardens Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, a fortnight after being charged over the 2008 death of his wife Susi Elizabeth Johnston.

It was Mr Johnston’s second court appearance after being charged by homicide squad detectives on February 14 and facing Albany Magistrate’s Court the following day.

In court yesterday, the charge was remanded for a further four weeks by Magistrate Jan Whitbread, with Mr Johnston not required to plead to the charge and remaining in custody.

Police claim Mr Johnston was driving a station wagon, with his wife a passenger, when it left a farm road, slammed into a tree and burst into flames in December 2008.

Mrs Johnston was trapped inside the vehicle and when emergency services arrived at the property near Borden, 110km north of Albany, they found her dead.

In September last year, homicide detectives revealed they had received “fresh information” about Mrs Johnston’s death that prompted a review of the case.

Mr Johnston will reappear in court on March 28.