Adrian Basham's courtroom outbursts draw judge's rebuke

Adrian Basham, 49, was convicted of murdering his ex‑wife Samantha Fraser at her Phillip Island home in July 2018. He received a life sentence with a 30‑year non‑parole period in 2023. In August 2026 Basham appeared before the Victorian Court of Appeal to challenge both the conviction and the sentence. During the hearing he repeatedly turned in the dock, stared at Fraser’s family, and shouted, “check the camera footage,” prompting Court of Appeal President Justice Karin Emerton to warn that his presence was not required and that continued interruptions would force his removal.

Basham’s barrister, Dermot Dann KC, argued the sentence was “manifestly excessive,” claiming the trial judge mis‑classified the murder, ignored Basham’s prospects for rehabilitation, his prior good character and the lengthy case delays, and gave improper jury directions on alleged rape allegations. Prosecutor Stephanie Clancy countered that the judge had correctly instructed the jury and upheld the presumption of innocence. The appeal hearing continued amid the courtroom disruption.