MORE human remains have been uncovered by police near where parts of a human skull connected to a murder investigation in the New England were found.
The NSW Supreme Court heard on Wednesday morning that more skull fragments and clothing had been found outside Bingara, near where part of the skull that police believe belongs to Darren Royce Willis was discovered.
Bruce Anthony Coss is accused of killing Mr Willis in Bingara in 2010, and was near the end of his judge-alone murder trial in July when the discovery was made by an elderly famer.
The court heard DNA testing had indicated a "consistent" profile match with Mr Willis.
The trial was put on hold to allow police extra time to investigate, and on Wednesday, the court heard more remains had been discovered.
Crown prosecutor Liam Shaw told the court a further search of the area referred to as 'Six Mile' was conducted last month.
"Further parts of the skull and a few other articles were found," he told the court.
He said a forensic anthropologist had been obtained to provide the Crown with an expert opinion on the damage to the skull and the time it was in the bush.
He said the evidence had taken the case in a different direction.
"This development that, as I said Your Honour, the Crown didn't anticipate," he said.
Defence barrister Michael King said the new evidence had thrown a curve ball.
"When you throw a pebble in ... the ripples do tend to get larger and larger," he told the court.
Mr King said that they had "no idea that police would be launching" the latest search and "they located another larger skull fragment". He said it was "bone fragments and clothing as well".
He said the defence had been served some material on the discovery but there was still a "substantial amount of further material" to be served.
A forensic pathologist report was still to come, the Crown said, which went towards the nature of any damage to the skull.
The Crown confirmed "there was a search in September" and of the items seized "each one is being tested for DNA".
Mr Shaw said that could take time, but "they've told me within the next week", so "I'll keep on the phone to them everyday".
"It's fairly unlikely, one would hope, there aren't a variety of human skulls out there," Justice Hament Dhanji replied.
Mr King said both the Crown and defence would now go and view the scene as part of their preparations in the trial.
Mr King said there had "just been too much new material" and a "proper amount of time" was needed to consider it, but added they wanted to resolve the matter.
"Mr Coss has been waiting his day in court for a very long time," he said.
Mr King said he was in the process of retaining one expert, and possibly a second.
He said Coss was on bail to live on the coast with a friend and "it was expected that domestic arrangement would come to end .... it hasn't".
He said they wanted to push on and "we will do everything we can" to finish the trial before the end of the year.
The court heard if the trial cannot resume in November, it could be postponed to at least March next year.
"[Coss] has no desire to go back to Bingara, until this matter is resolved one way or another," Mr King said.
The case was adjourned to later this month to confirm if it could resume in November.
Coss remains on bail. He was arrested after a renewed investigation in 2019.
Journalist at the Newcastle Herald.
Journalist at the Newcastle Herald.
