Gerard Baden-Clay spied on slain wife with baby monitors, controlled 'every aspect' of her life, cousin claims

A cousin of Allison Baden-Clay has revealed how her husband and eventual killer Gerard Baden-Clay tried to control every aspect of her life during a tumultuous five year marriage that ended in tragedy.

Gerard Baden-Clay, 45, was convicted in 2014 of murdering Allison’s at their Brookfield, in Brisbane’s west, in April 2012 but had the verdict downgraded to manslaughter on appeal.

Now Allison’s cousin Jodie Dann has told Woman’s Day Gerard Baden-Clay would use baby monitors to spy on his wife, refused to let her control her own finances and regularly insulted her appeareance, while conducting a series of extra-marital affairs.

“Allison was controlled in every aspect of her life,” she said.

“He wouldn't let her have bank cards and would only give her bits of cash to spend.

“He was always at her about getting fat. She felt worthless and she was taunted by his infidelities.”

The body of Allison Baden-Clay was found near a creek in April 2012, 10 days after Gerard Baden-Clay reported her missing.

• Gerard Baden-Clay conviction downgraded from murder to manslaughter

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He was charged with her murder in June 2012 and convicted after a six-week trial in 2014. He was sentenced to life in prison before his appeal.

Queensland prosecutors are now appealing the downgrading of the conviction to manslaughter by the Court of Appeals to the full bench of the High Court.

Prosecutors argue there was no reasonable hypotheses consistent with Gerard Baden-Clay unintentionally killing his wife.

A full bench of the High Court is set to hear the case on Tuesday, July 26, following the downgrading of Baden-Clay's murder conviction to manslaughter last year.

In their final document filed ahead of that hearing, Queensland prosecutors accused the defence team of spinning "imaginary possibilities".

Baden-Clay's lawyers had argued there was no proof he intended to kill his wife Allison.

"It is not permissible after the conclusion of the trial to posit imaginary possibilities to explain an embarrassing death and then to assert these have not been addressed or excluded by the prosecution," prosecution submissions, filed on Friday, stated.

Gerard Baden-Clay has remained in prison since his 2012 conviction, despite the successful appeal.