Mental health will be the central issue in the case of a woman accused of murdering her two young grandsons in their rural home.
Kathleen Joyce Heggs, 66, has been charged with two counts of domestic violence murder over the deaths of Max and Sam Johnson, aged six and seven.
The brothers were found dead in their home on the outskirts of Coonabarabran, in northwest NSW, on the afternoon of May 5.
Heggs had harmed herself and was arrested and taken to a mental health unit at Orange hospital.
Her case was briefly mentioned in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, and she was not required to appear.
‘This is going to be a question of my client’s mental health at the time of the offences,’ Heggs’ solicitor Christopher Ford told the court.
Mr Ford did not object to an application by NSW Police to conduct a forensic procedure on Heggs.
Magistrate Brett Shields confirmed an order for the unspecified procedure to be carried out.
Kathleen Joyce Heggs, 66, was charged with murder over the deaths of her grandsons
The brothers, aged six and seven, were keen karate fans (pictured)
There was also a discussion in court about Heggs’ legal representation, as a Legal Aid lawyer Bill Dickens had also been working on the matter.
Ford, appearing via video-link from Sydney, announced he was appearing for Heggs.
However Mr Dickens said he had spoken to Heggs earlier on Wednesday morning and received instructions from her.
Ford insisted he was her legal representative.
“I’ve just spoken to her and she’s trying to contact you,” Ford said.
Mr Dickens repeatedly asked Mr Ford not to discuss Heggs’ legal representation in an open forum.
‘Please stop talking about this in an open court in the presence of the media,’ Mr Dickens said.
Mr Ford later asked that legal documents be sent to his office in the city.
Community members held a candlelight vigil in a park to honour the two boys (pictured)
Heggs was the sole carer for the two boys and the family had moved from the NSW Central Coast to Coonabarabran about a year ago.
Two junior police officers broke into their house on a semi-rural property after a message she sent to the Communities and Justice Department triggered an emergency response.
They found the boys’ bodies in their bedrooms.
After treatment in a mental health facility, Heggs was taken into custody.
At her first court appearance, five days after her arrest, police documents alleged she may have killed the boys as early as 10.30am on May 5.
Police have previously said there were no weapons involved in the alleged murders.
The boys’ deaths shook Coonabarabran, where they went to the local primary school and attended karate classes.
Community members held a candlelight vigil in a park by the Castlereagh River, where they planted two trees in the boys’ honour and displayed the yellow karate belts they were due to receive.
Warrumbungle Shire Councillor Kodi Brady read a poem describing the boys as ‘wild as March hares, full of spark and flame’.
Heggs’ case will return to court on July 10.
