The jury in the trial of Rajwinder Singh, accused of killing Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley, has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict. The Supreme Court in Cairns will now set a date for a retrial, prolonging the legal process in a case that has gripped Australia for over five years.
Singh, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 24-year-old Cordingley, whose body was found on Wangetti Beach in October 2018. The court heard that she had suffered multiple stab wounds and her throat had been slashed before being buried in a shallow grave near a sand dune.
The jury entered its third day of deliberations but remained deadlocked. At midday, they informed Justice James Henry that no further questions or evidence would assist them in reaching a unanimous decision. Acknowledging their efforts, Justice Henry discharged the jury, stating that further delays in hearing the case “would be a sad thing for all concerned.”
The case will return to court next Wednesday for a mention hearing to determine the date of a retrial. Singh’s defence counsel, Angus Edwards KC, indicated that the accused might seek new legal representation for the second trial.
Toyah Cordingley, a health store worker and animal shelter volunteer, was reported missing on October 21, 2018, after she failed to return from walking her dog at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns. Her body was discovered by her father, who had been searching the area.
Rajwinder Singh, a 40-year-old former nurse from Innisfail, was arrested in India in November 2022 and extradited to Australia to face charges of murder.
The trial, held at the Supreme Court in Cairns, spanned approximately three weeks. The prosecution’s case was primarily circumstantial, relying on evidence such as Singh’s sudden departure to India on the day Cordingley’s body was found, mobile phone records, and DNA evidence. Notably, there were no direct eyewitnesses to the crime.
Several individuals present at Wangetti Beach on the day of the incident testified, mentioning sightings of a suspicious man. However, none witnessed the actual crime or the subsequent burial of Cordingley’s body, which was located approximately 1.7 kilometres from the nearest car park.
Angus Edwards KC, representing Singh, indicated that his client might seek different legal representation for the forthcoming trial.
The inability to reach a verdict prolongs the anguish for Cordingley’s family and the broader Cairns community, who have been seeking closure since the tragic events of 2018. Members of Cordingley’s family declined to comment as they departed the courthouse following the jury’s discharge.
The Queensland Police Service, which led the original investigation, has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a thorough and just legal outcome. Meanwhile, Victoria Police is also undertaking an investigation into recent claims relating to Singh’s previous conduct.
As the legal system prepares for the next phase of the case, the community continues to seek closure in one of Australia’s most widely followed murder trials.
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