Ex-major charged with wife's murder four years after kayak death
A former major in the British Army has been charged with murdering his wife four years after she drowned in Australia while kayaking.
Graeme Davidson, 55, has also been charged with fraud and attempted fraud in relation to a life insurance claim of more than A$1 million (£486,000) made after the death of his wife, Jacqueline, 54. The pair, who had been married for almost 30 years, were kayaking on Lake Samsonvale, north of Brisbane, when the incident happened in November 2020.
Other people nearby and emergency services tried to resuscitate Mrs Davidson but she was declared dead at the scene.
Her death was initially considered an accidental drowning but further investigations led detectives to declare it suspicious. A homicide investigation began about 18 months
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
AFL CEO at the centre of lewd pic scandal takes step toward reconciling with Carlton
Former Carlton president Luke Sayers has re-emerged in public life following a turbulent start to 2025, marked by a scandal involving his social media account. On Thursday night, Sayers was seen dining at Gimlet, a renowned Melbourne restaurant, alongside close friend and Carlton coach Michael Voss. The high-profile dinner marks another chapter in what insiders describe as a steady campaign to rebuild his public standing. Gimlet, a favourite among politicians and media figures, was the perfect venue for the quietly strategic reunion. Sayers and Voss forged a strong friendship during Sayers' 12-year tenure on the Carlton board, including his term as president. They were often seen attending high-level events together, even gifting Carlton guernseys to visiting stars like Tom Brady and Chris Martin. But their dinner comes just months after Sayers' presidency ended in the wake of a controversial image posted to his X account. On January 9, a graphic photo of a penis appeared on Sayers' verified social media profile, tagging a senior executive from Carlton sponsor Bupa. Sayers was holidaying in Italy with his family when the image was posted and swiftly deleted. The post remained online for 12 minutes, enough time for others to capture and reshare it. Sayers denied any involvement and stated his account had been hacked. The AFL Integrity Unit investigated and found that his account had indeed been compromised by a third party. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Sayers resigned from his role on January 22, citing the toll the scandal had taken on his family, friends, and colleagues. 'I did not post the image, either deliberately or accidentally,' Sayers said in an emotional resignation statement. 'I deeply regret that other people including my family, friends, colleagues and football club have been caught up in this matter.' He added that he was 'outraged' by the alleged cyber attack and would 'leave no stone unturned' in finding out who was responsible. The AFL later confirmed no further investigation would occur. Sayers and his wife Cate have separated following the scandal involving a lewd image posted from his social media account The fallout extended beyond Sayers' departure from Carlton. Bupa withdrew its naming rights from a charity event just weeks later, although it confirmed its broader sponsorship with the club would continue. Sayers also announced he would step back as chairman of his consulting firm, the Sayers Group, although his name remained on its website. In April, he rebranded the business to Tenet Advisory & Investments and has since resumed limited public appearances. In recent weeks, Sayers has been seen attending Carlton matches, including as a guest in the MCC Committee Room with outgoing club CEO Brian Cook. Cook, a long-time ally, was personally recruited by Sayers from Geelong and will step down in October. Sayers hosted a private thank-you lunch at France-Soir in April, attended by former AFL chief Gill McLachlan, St Kilda president Andrew Bassat, and media adviser Sharon McCrohan. It was an intimate event with those who had stood by him through the scandal. His dinner with Voss further signals a thaw in relations between the former president and his beloved Blues. Fellow diners at Gimlet noted Voss appeared relaxed and tanned after a brief Fiji holiday during the club's bye. The dinner took place ahead of Carlton's high-stakes clash with traditional rivals Essendon, making its timing even more symbolic. Voss and Sayers remain close, with Sayers being one of the first to publicly praise Voss after he made headlines last year for chasing down an alleged knife-wielding thief. Despite his recent re-emergence, controversy still lingers around the club. A separate investigation is now underway into a senior Carlton staffer after complaints from a whistleblower were referred to the AFL Integrity Unit. The club confirmed the matter is unrelated to gender-based misconduct and the staff member is currently on pre-planned leave. 'The club's first priority is, and always will be, its people,' a statement read.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussies react to shock arrest video of young Aboriginal woman in tiny town
Aussies have questioned the use of force used by officers during the arrest of a young Aboriginal woman in Western Australia. Officers detained the 25-year-old woman from Millars Well, a town about 540km northeast of Exmouth, after she allegedly breached bail conditions on Monday. Footage of the arrest, shared on Facebook, shows the woman screaming as she is pulled from a car, handcuffed on the ground and carried by two officers to a van. As a crowd gathered outside the home, a female officer was seen gesturing with a can of pepper spray to try and stop them from approaching. Another police vehicle with more officers arrived as the woman was put in the van. At least two male officers could then be seen approaching the group and pushing them away from the police van. Shocked viewers questioned the officers' use of force in the comments. 'I legit got tears. This is very triggering,' one person wrote. 'There was no need for this kind of force,' a second said. 'If they don't know how to work with mob, why don't they talk to the elders in community and get help,' a third commented. 'This town is not far from where I live,' a fourth added. 'This behaviour by police is so unnecessary!' The woman was not injured during the arrest and no medical assistance was required, WA Police told Daily Mail Australia in a statement. The woman was arrested for allegedly breaching her bail conditions by being at a home in Millars Well. 'It will be alleged as the woman was being arrested, she obstructed police, locking herself in a vehicle,' police said in a statement. Officers were called to the home about 10:30am on Monday after an alleged physical altercation between people known to each other. Police had responded to an incident at the same location earlier that day. WA Police declined to comment on the way officers handled the incident. The woman has since been charged with one count each of obstructing public officers, common assault in circumstances of aggravation or racial aggravation and possessing a prohibited drug, methylamphetamine. She appeared in court on Monday and is next due to appear before the Karratha Magistrates Court on July 29. The arrest video came just days after the shocking death of an Indigenous man Kumanjayi White at a supermarket in Alice Springs on May 27. NT Police last week said White 'stopped breathing' after he was restrained by two officers and confirmed the death is being investigated on behalf of the coroner. It is the second death to rock the small Yuendumu community and comes six years after Kumanjayi Walker was shot dead by NT Police officer Zachary Rolfe.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Australia's most notorious killer is now so overweight he needs three mattresses to sleep on - as details emerge about his pen pal girlfriend
Australia's worst mass murderer, Martin Bryant, is now so overweight he reportedly needs to sleep on three mattresses stacked on top of each other. The 58-year-old also spends his time in Risdon Prison Complex boasting to inmates about a supposed long-distance romance with a woman he calls his 'girlfriend'. Byrant is serving 35 life sentences over the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania. In new details obtained exclusively by the Daily Telegraph, it was revealed Bryant is considered 'lower than zero' on the food chain by his fellow inmates. Former inmate Jackson, who was cell neighbours with Bryant, gave a bleak account of his condition behind bars, describing him as untidy, dirty and suffering from acne. The mass murderer is reportedly now so large he sleeps on three 10cm thick mattresses stacked on top of each other in his tiny cell bed, which he rarely leaves. Most bizarrely, Jackson revealed Bryant had a reputation for previously giving sexual favours, in return for chocolates and sweets. 'He's had a few sexual experiences in jail so someone will tease him and go "How about you swap me a head job for a Mars Bar" with such and such,' he said. Jackson recalled the moment he finally summoned the courage to ask Bryant about the Port Arthur massacre, saying the killer's face immediately shifted. He added that he wasn't sure Bryant's mother still visited him but that the killer would speak frequently about a woman he claimed to be in a relationship with. The woman, said to own a horse property in Victoria, was one of 10 people approved by the jail service to have phone calls with Bryant. Jackson said he wasn't sure if the woman ever visited Bryant in jail but that he had once been shown a photo of her by the notorious killer. Former prison guard Tony Burley told the Daily Telegraph he had caught the murderer fixating on himself and other guards with an intense stare. He said this only added to his reputation as an odd and isolated figure. 'In terms of the food chain, he's lower than zero,' Mr Burley said. 'It's not that people don't like him, he just doesn't exist.' 'No one would know who he was, he's not a concern to anybody. He's not targeted, he's nobody.' The Port Arthur massacre remains one of the darkest days in Australia's history. At the time, it was considered the world's worst massacre, with 35 people killed and 23 injured by Martin Byrant, who is serving 35 life sentences and more than a thousand additional years' jail without parole. Bryant has never explained his actions but investigators have speculated the murders were sparked out of retribution for grievances. Others were collateral damage. The shooting prompted significant gun reform under then-prime minister John Howard via the 1996 National Firearms Agreement. The laws banned rapid-fire guns from civilian ownership except under certain, restricted licences. It also tightened requirements for firearms licensing, registration and safe storage and established a government buyback of semi-automatic and pump-action rifles and shotguns.
