Source: Radio New Zealand
By Talissa Siganto, ABC
Blake Seers, 37, has been charged with two counts of murder (domestic violence) over the deaths of a woman and child. ABC/Lucas Hill
A man accused of killing his partner and baby daughter in Logan, south of Brisbane, was suffering a “schizoaffective disorder”, a court has heard.
The bodies of 37-year-old Kate Paterson and 11-month-old April were found dead inside a Belivah home last week.
At the time, police said they had initially attended the residence after a man who lived there, Blake Seers, had been hit by a car nearby at Bannockburn.
Seers, 38, was taken to hospital and yesterday was charged with two counts of domestic violence murder.
RNZ understands Seers is from New Zealand.
On Wednesday, defence lawyer Nicholas Andrews appeared in court on Seers’s behalf.
“Mr Seers is currently in custody under police watch in hospital,” he said.
Andrews asked for the matter to be moved to Beenleigh and said his client would need to seek a mental health assessment once transferred to a remand centre.
“I should also just place on record Mr Seers has a diagnosed schizoaffective disorder,” he said.
Defence lawyer Nicholas Andrews says Blake Seers has “mental health considerations”. ABC/Talissa Siganto
The matter was adjourned until next week.
Outside court, Andrews said it was a “sensitive matter”.
“Our thoughts are with those who’ve been affected by this tragedy,” he said.
“At times like this, I just need to remind myself that there is a job to do.”
“It’s currently progressing through the courts and there’s some mental health considerations here.”
-ABC with additional reporting by RNZ
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
