Beau Lamarre-Condon tells court of idea to pose as UberEats driver

Beau Lamarre-Condon, the former New South Wales police officer on trial over the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, has returned to the witness box in the NSW Supreme Court to continue giving evidence in his own defence.

The 31-year-old has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. He is accused of killing the two men with his police service weapon at Mr Baird's Paddington home on 19 February 2024. The trial is being heard by a 15-person jury before Justice Natalie Adams.

Idea to pose as a delivery rider Lamarre-Condon told the court he had an idea, after seeing what he took to be a delivery motorcycle, to put on a helmet, a hi-vis hooded jacket, waterproof long pants and gloves so he could knock on Mr Baird's door looking like an UberEats driver without any verbal interaction. If Mr Baird was not home, he said, he could get the spare key and collect his belongings.

He told the jury he wanted to avoid contact with Mr Baird because of the risk that the other man would take out an apprehended violence order against him, noting Mr Baird had asked him not to contact him again. He said he worried a knock at the door would be seen as harassment.

Lamarre-Condon said he wanted to retrieve his surfboard, clothing and a Cartier ring, and described the day of the alleged murders as going to be a normal day. He told the court he took his mother's car so he would not be recognised, drove up and down Mr Baird's street looking for his ute, and parked in the space left by Mr Baird's housemate.

Hire car and a conversation with his mother His voice wavered as he told the jury that he and his mother had collected a hire car from Hertz the day before the alleged murders, after her vehicle began leaking and was left at a mechanic. He said he put his phone on airplane mode for a private conversation and told his mother he was not feeling OK because of work. He said she told him it was time to leave the police force.

Firearm signed out three days earlier The former officer said he signed out his firearm for a shift on 16 February 2024, three days before the alleged murders, and that he had permission to do so. On the way to work he stopped at East Village in Zetland to have his car washed, and said it was common for police to stop for coffee or errands on the way to work.

He also described going to the Royal National Park with a friend and firing his gun to test how loud it was. He told the jury he was thinking of taking his own life at the time and was conscious of not letting the bullet hit anyone. He said particulate entered his eyes from the shot, and that he later put a brown paper bag over the firearm before firing a second shot, saying such a bag would never change the sound of a gunshot.

Asked about his relationship with Mr Baird, he said the two did things couples do but were not exclusive.

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Source: The Guardian World.