Hua Hin expat seeks bail in Australia over wife’s alleged murder
Graeme Davidson, a Hua Hin resident and well-known member of the local expat community, is seeking bail in Australia after being charged with the murder of his wife during a kayaking trip in 2020.
Mr Davidson, a former army major, had been living in Hua Hin since April 2021, where he became a familiar face among the expat community.
He was arrested in Brisbane earlier this year during a return visit and was charged with the murder of his wife, Jacqueline Davidson, and with multiple counts of fraud and attempted fraud in relation to life insurance claims exceeding AU$1 million.
Mrs Davidson died while kayaking with her husband at Lake Samsonvale in south-east Queensland in November 2020. Both were not wearing life jackets when she reportedly fell into the water and drowned. Her death was initially ruled accidental, but a homicide investigation was launched 18 months later.
In a bail application heard at the Supreme Court on Thursday, Mr Davidson’s lawyer Craig Eberhardt described the case as a “fundamentally weak Crown case”. He argued that while it was not disputed that Mrs Davidson had drowned, there was no evidence that his client had deliberately caused her death.
“There are no eyewitnesses who claim to have seen Mr Davidson drowning his wife or behaving suspiciously,” Mr Eberhardt told the court.
According to the defence, Mr Davidson told police that he stood up in his kayak, which caused his wife to panic and fall into the water. He said he attempted to rescue her in the murky water, placing her on his kayak and returning to shore, where he asked bystanders to call an ambulance and performed CPR. Witnesses and paramedics reportedly observed Mr Davidson trying to resuscitate his wife and described him as visibly distressed.
The court also heard there were no injuries on Mrs Davidson’s body suggesting a struggle or assault. Mr Davidson, who had been married to Mrs Davidson for decades, had no criminal record or history of domestic violence. However, the court was told that an extramarital affair during a posting in Papua New Guinea in 2018 had caused marital strain, but there was no indication of ongoing conflict by 2020.
Witness statements from family and friends were presented in court. One daughter, who was living at home at the time, said she had been invited to join the kayaking trip and noted her mother appeared happy and in good spirits on the day of her death. She also said her mother had a history of heart and choking issues and could become easily flustered.
The court was told Mr Davidson had made a life insurance claim through his wife’s superannuation and received a payment of over AU$200,000. His lawyer said Davidson had not set up the policy and was unaware he was the sole beneficiary until after her death. Both spouses had taken out insurance policies in mid-2020 to cover their mortgage, which Mr Eberhardt described as routine financial planning.
Davidson’s communications with investigators between 2021 and 2025 were cited as evidence he was not attempting to flee prosecution. His lawyer also downplayed other alleged suspicious behaviour, including burning documents and purchasing a car soon after his wife’s death, calling them mischaracterisations.
Davidson’s two daughters were present in court to support his bail application and have offered a surety. He has also agreed to surrender his passports and comply with a curfew if released.
The bail hearing will continue on Friday, with prosecutors expected to oppose the application next week.