Clinton Gordon Sutcliffe has entered a not guilty plea regarding the murder of Dale Aaron McKenna, which occurred during a high-speed car chase on a remote road in Queensland.
During the trial, overseen by Justice Lincoln Crowley, the jury was presented with recordings of phone conversations in which Mr. Sutcliffe allegedly issued threats against Mr. McKenna.
According to the prosecution, just six days prior to his murder charge, Mr. Sutcliffe reportedly told his mother over the phone about his intentions to kill Mr. McKenna upon learning that the 22-year-old was in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Shakira Stewart. He was recorded saying, “He’s a dead man, that c**t,” during the call, which was played for the jury at the Supreme Court in Toowoomba.
The murder charge stems from an incident that occurred three years ago, during a purported midnight chase on a rural Queensland road that culminated in Mr. McKenna’s death. Mr. Sutcliffe has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
The court was informed that shortly after the threatening phone call, Mr. Sutcliffe, then 36, allegedly pursued Mr. McKenna’s vehicle—a Holden Colorado—while driving a Nissan X-TRAIL, with Ms. Stewart and another individual present in the car. The prosecution claims both vehicles reached speeds nearing 180 km/h before colliding on May 30, 2023.
Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke detailed that Mr. McKenna was ejected from the vehicle and sustained severe injuries, leading to his subsequent death in the hospital. Ms. Stewart and the third occupant survived the crash.
Ms. O’Rourke explained to the jury that Mr. Sutcliffe had an unstable relationship with Ms. Stewart, who was then 20 years old, indicating that by May 2023, they were no longer together. The court learned that Ms. Stewart was planning to relocate to New South Wales with Mr. McKenna, having packed her belongings to leave their shared residence in Tara, located 300 km west of Brisbane.
In a phone call made while incarcerated for an unrelated issue, Mr. Sutcliffe expressed his anger and frustration upon discovering Ms. Stewart’s new relationship, stating he was going to “f*****g explode,” followed by the ominous remark about Mr. McKenna being “a dead man, that c**t.” Over the next three days, Mr. Sutcliffe was in and out of custody until his stepfather picked him up on the afternoon of May 30, taking him to his mother’s home.
Later that evening, after meeting with his stepbrother and another man, Mr. Sutcliffe and his companions took his mother’s Nissan X-TRAIL to retrieve his clothes. Upon arriving at Mr. McKenna’s property, they found Ms. Stewart and Mr. McKenna preparing to leave with their belongings.
Ms. Stewart testified that one of the men approached their vehicle wielding a steel bar, prompting her to instruct Mr. McKenna to drive away, with Sutcliffe’s group closely tailing them in the Nissan X-TRAIL.
A forensic crash investigator testified that it appeared neither Mr. McKenna nor Ms. Stewart were wearing seatbelts, as there was no evidence of belt stretching in their vehicle. After the collision, emergency services were contacted, and it was revealed that Mr. Sutcliffe was picked up by his mother and left with her in her vehicle.
The following day, on May 31, Mr. Sutcliffe was arrested. During police questioning, recorded on video and shown to the jury, he claimed he was unaware that Mr. McKenna was in the car and expressed his feelings for Ms. Stewart, stating he “really loved her and missed her.”
The courtroom was filled with attendees, including members of Mr. McKenna’s family and supporters of Mr. Sutcliffe as the trial continues.
