‘I didn’t stay like a little creep’: Lamarre-Condon says he saw Baird having sex
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC asks: “Was there an occasion where you went to Jesse’s house and saw him through the bedroom window?”
Lamarre-Condon told the court he asked Baird if he could collect his things from his home.
He said some time after 21 April, he went to Baird’s house and saw his bedroom light was on through his sheer curtain:
I saw Jesse having sex with a man I did not know.
I paused for about 5 seconds … I immediately left, I didn’t stay like a little creep, I didn’t take any photos.
I left … and actually laughed about it with friends … we were no longer together …
Lamarre-Condon told the court this happened on only one occasion.
Key events
‘Detective Beau’s on the case’: Lamarre-Condon speaks about CCTV footage
The officer said CCTV footage found on his devices of Baird and another man at the Royal Hotel in Paddington was recorded during his police duties.
He coincidentally saw Baird that day and took the video of the screen, before sending him the footage.
Lamarre-Condon told the court he said something like: “I came here to see you, but detective Beau is on the case.”
Lamarre-Condon says sexual relationship with Baird recommenced after birthday dinner
Lamarre-Condon has told the court he saw Baird on his birthday night in 2023 at the Unicorn hotel in Paddington:
I did see Jesse, it was a very normal and amicable conversation … We had a normal conversation about normal things.
He said he received a birthday message from Baird earlier that day on social media.
‘I didn’t stay like a little creep’: Lamarre-Condon says he saw Baird having sex
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC asks: “Was there an occasion where you went to Jesse’s house and saw him through the bedroom window?”
Lamarre-Condon told the court he asked Baird if he could collect his things from his home.
He said some time after 21 April, he went to Baird’s house and saw his bedroom light was on through his sheer curtain:
I saw Jesse having sex with a man I did not know.
I paused for about 5 seconds … I immediately left, I didn’t stay like a little creep, I didn’t take any photos.
I left … and actually laughed about it with friends … we were no longer together …
Lamarre-Condon told the court this happened on only one occasion.
Lamarre-Condon tells court Baird told him he ‘wasn’t ready for a relationship with anyone’
Lamarre-Condon tells the court he met with Baird on 17 April 2023 and told him he had read the messages between Baird and the other man.
The former officer said:
I told him this made me feel a bit upset because we were moving towards – I guess being a couple.
Jesse was honest with me [and] became emotional and started crying, said he wasn’t ready for a relationship with anyone not just me.
Lamarre-Condon said he was looking for something more serious and needed a few weeks away to “let my romantic emotions settle”.
He told the court Baird then said: “Please let me know when you’re ready to hang out again. I would like to have you back in my life and see you.”
Lamarre-Condon said the situation was “very amicable”.
‘Common’ for Baird to leave key for Lamarre-Condon, court hears
Lamarre-Condon tells the court it was “common” for Baird to leave his key out for him:
I let myself in and I was waiting for him to come home from work.
A message sent from Baird to Lamarre-Condon, and read to the court, said: “Key is in the letter box for you.”
Lamarre-Condon tells court about using Baird’s phone
The former officer said in January 2023 he and Baird went to an escape room. Baird then gave Lamarre-Condon access to his phone and asked him to edit a video of them together at the escape room, the officer told the court.
While editing the video, Instagram notifications began popping up from another man.
Lamarre-Condon said the messages were: “Jesse saying our relationship was somewhat casual.”
He told the court he then used his own phone to take photos of the messages and sent it to other friends.
Lamarre-Condon said:
I did not block … I did not delete any messages, I did not unfollow anybody at this stage.
Messages between Baird and Lamarre-Condon read to the court
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC is reading out messages between the accused and Jesse Baird from December 2022.
Lamarre-Condon messages: “Is it weird/too soon to say I kind of miss you already. Those cuddles and kisses on the nose though.”
Baird responds: “yeah I miss you too kind of wish you were coming down to Melbs to meet the fam.”
Lamarre-Condon says: “Hope you have an amazing day with the fam xx make sure you tell Helen I said merry Christmas.”
“Helen” refers to Baird’s mother.
Baird replies: “Mum said to say hello, she already likes you.”
Court resumes
After a lunch break, Lamarre-Condon has returned to the witness box and is resuming his evidence.
The court adjourns for lunch
The court has adjourned for lunch. Lamarre-Condon will continue giving evidence at 2pm.
Public pile in to watch Lamarre-Condon give evidence
Lamarre-Condon’s trial has attracted significant attention.
The gallery of the NSW supreme court in Sydney is filled with curious members of the public watching the former police officer’s evidence.
Lamarre-Condon says he was transferred to youth command division to ‘escape’ police officers at Surry Hills
Lamarre-Condon tells the court he was transferred to the youth command division of the police to “escape” the officers who were “tormenting” him at the Surry Hills police station.
Lamarre-Condon describes traumatic situations he encountered as a police officer
Earlier, Lamarre-Condon responded to questions about confronting situations he had encountered while working as a police officer and told the court he could remember 12 to 15 incidents graphically.
He said he has “seen people that have jumped in front of trains, I have seen multiple hangings.”
Lamarre-Condon says he and Baird would go on dates where they would go to the movies, eat dinner or watch musicals:
Jesse was very much like me. He was very outgoing and willing to do sporting activities … he has his scuba licence, like me, so we also did that.
Lamarre-Condon describes relationship to Jesse Baird
The police officer is responding to questions about the beginning of their relationship:
For the months of October and November 2022 it was friends with a sexual relationship. When we would meet up it was of the sexual nature. By December 2022 that’s when we began going on romantic dates.
Lamarre-Condon gets emotional in the witness box
Recalling occasions when he had to deal with dead bodies, Lamarre-Condon has spoken about a co-worker who had shot himself in the head.
He recalls the last conversation they had:
“I said ‘How are you?’ and he told me he was good. Nothing appeared out of normal to me, nothing about his behaviour suggested what he was about to do.
“[He] went to his desk took out his gun whilst off duty and shot himself in the head at work.”
Lamarre-Condon’s co-workers later found their deceased colleague, the court heard.
Lamarre-Condon alleges former supervisor made homophobic remarks
Lamarre-Condon has accused his former supervisor of making homophobic remarks while he was an openly gay police officer.
“He would say things such as, ‘I used to bash gay people while in Jindabyne,’” he told the court.
During one occasion when responding to a domestic violence report, the man allegedly said, “Let’s go get these fucking faggots.”
Beau Lamarre-Condon begins giving evidence
Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has taken the witness box in his double murder trial.
He is giving evidence in the NSW supreme court in front of a 15-person jury, as the first witness for the defence.
Wearing a light grey suit, a dark coloured tie and a white collared shirt, Lamarre-Condon took an oath and vowed to tell the truth.
Welcome
Welcome to Guardian Australia’s coverage of the Beau Lamarre-Condon trial.
Lamarre-Condon is giving evidence this morning in his high-profile double murder case in Sydney.
The 31-year-old is accused of fatally shooting couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his police service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter.
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