Drifter denies hostel murders

A homeless fruit picker today pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges linked to a devastating blaze that ripped through an Australian backpackers’ hostel, killing 15 tourists nearly two years ago.

Dressed in a blue shirt, grey slacks and brown shoes, Robert Long, 38, stared straight ahead as some of the 40-plus prospective jurors filed past him at Brisbane Supreme Court.

Long, bearded and with curly hair, said: ‘‘Not guilty’’ as he replied to the court clerk’s requests for pleas on one charge of arson and two of murder in the fire on June 23, 2000 at the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, 190 miles north of Brisbane.

Long faces life imprisonment if convicted.

A backpacker from Ireland, six from Britain, four from Australia, two from the Netherlands, and one each from Japan and South Korea were killed.

The Irishwoman was Julie O’Keefe, 24, from Limerick.

The Britons who died included Mike Lewis, 25, from Bristol; Gary Sutton, 24, from Bath; Sarah Williams, 23, from Aberfan, south Wales; Natalie Morris, 28, from Cefn Coed, south Wales; and Melissa Smith, 26, from Thatcham, Berks.

Also among the dead were 27-year-old twins Kelly and Stacey Slarke from Western Australia state, the only deaths for which Long is charged with murder.

He was only charged with murder in those two cases because prosecutors think it likely he will get the maximum life sentence if convicted. Prosecutors say they will await the outcome of the trial before deciding whether to charge Long with the deaths of the 13 other victims.

Police say Long confessed to starting the fire when he was tracked down by police dogs just days after the blaze, but prosecutors have released no details of his alleged confession to police.

The prosecution released a list of 169 witnesses today, including 40 from overseas, who are expected to give evidence at the trial, which is likely to last up to six weeks.

One of the first to arrive to watch today’s proceedings was Trevor Bill, the mayor of Isis Shire which incorporates the town of Childers.

‘‘We’re here to show our support to the families of those who died and the survivors,’’ said Bill. ‘‘And to see what the judicial process will bring.’’

Justice Peter Dutney warned the nine women and five men in the jury - two will serve as alternates - to ignore anything they have read or heard on the case, and to accept only what they hear as testimony in the coming weeks in the courtroom.

‘‘You must clear your minds of any misconceptions,’’ said Dutney. ‘‘Justice is not served by finding scapegoats.’’

The jury was sent home until Wednesday when the prosecution is expected to outline its case. The rest of today and tomorrow was expected to be taken up with legal arguments between the defence and prosecutors to determine which evidence is admissible.

To accommodate the large numbers of out-of-town witnesses, police have made block bookings at city hotels near the court.

Hi-tech video conferencing equipment in the Banco courtroom - Queensland state’s largest - will take testimony from witnesses in Europe and elsewhere who cannot attend.

Carpenters were called in last week to build more benches in the courtroom, which is used mainly for ceremonial purposes and rarely for trials.

Queensland’s Chief Justice Paul de Jersey moved the trial from Bundaberg to the state capital Brisbane last November, after Long’s lawyers said he could not get a fair trial in Bundaberg.

Childers, a farming community of 1,500 people about 25 miles from Bundaberg, is popular with backpackers who flock there in order to pick fruit and vegetables to finance their travels.