At Dubbo Local Court on Friday, Magistrate Gary Wilson presided at the hearing, which will decide what evidence will be used at the committal hearing of alleged murderer Allan Geoffrey O’Connor to trial.

Mr O’Connor has been accused of murdering father and son Stephen and Jacob Cumberland and Rebecca Webb at a Hermidale Property in June 2015.

Mr O’Connor has maintained innocence since his arrest.

His defence barrister, Ian Nash, asked the Crown Prosecution team for clarification of details at the crime scene.

“The Crown is saying it doesn’t really matter what was happening at the site,” Mr Nash said. 

“It is for the crown to prove it was him (Mr O’Connor) who committed these three murders. The crux is this man did this by himself as one man. We are entitled to know how one man has shot these three people, not attempt to elucidate that at trial.” 

Mr Nash questioned the prosecution about the ballistics reports stating they do not measure the distance of the shots fired.

Crown prosecutor Liam Shaw said there was some indication of a timeline. They are definite about the shooting taking place before the caravan on the property was lit on fire.

“No victims had ashes in their lung, we can assume he victims were dead before the burning of the caravan,” he said. 

“The pool where Miss Webb was found was near the caravan, Stephen Cumberland was found in the bed, you could say he hasn’t had time to get out of it, it looks like he was shot in the bed. She is located in the pool shot twice with burns on her back. It is likely she was shot, not in the caravan when it was burning.

“The third victim, Jacob Cumberland, was in close location to Miss Webb, shot twice,” Mr Shaw said. 

He said the timeline also indicates the accused leaving the local establishment, threatening phone calls and text messages around 9pm and the time when people arrived at the property and consequently reported the murders. 

“There is only so much forensic police can say.” 

Mr Shaw also pointed out the evidence of Miss Webb’s blood found in Mr O’Connor’s vehicle, on his boots and on a torch found in his home. 

Magistrate Wilson has adjourned the matter to June 16.