The mother of Toyah Cordingley became visibly distressed in court on Tuesday as Rajwinder Singh, the former nurse convicted of her daughter's murder, began his appeal against his life sentence.
Singh was found guilty of murdering the 24-year-old in December 2025 by a Cairns Supreme Court jury and received a life sentence with a non-parole period of 25 years. His appeal, heard in Brisbane, challenges both his conviction and the length of his sentence.
Vanessa Gardiner, Cordingley's mother, was present in court as Singh's barrister, Saul Holt KC, argued that the murder, described as 'without associated offending,' did not warrant more than the standard minimum of 20 years in custody. Holt contended that the trial judge's actions were improper, including the discharging of a jury member accused of bias and allowing jurors to discuss evidence in small groups during a site visit to Wangetti Beach, where Cordingley's body was discovered.
Justice David Boddice questioned Holt's argument, stating, "If you were walking along a public beach minding your own business and a stranger comes and slashes her throat four times, that's not enough?" Gardiner was seen crying and holding her head in her hands during this exchange.
Holt also argued that the prosecutor had introduced prejudicial material by suggesting Singh might have had uncontrollable urges. The trial judge had previously described the murder as a "shocking and sickening act of violence."
Cordingley was last seen on October 21, 2018, when she drove to Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, to walk her dog. Her family reported her missing when she did not return. Her body was found the following morning by her father, partially buried in the sand dunes, with her dog found tied to a nearby tree.
Shortly after Cordingley's body was discovered, Singh booked a flight to India and left Australia. Queensland Police offered a record $1 million reward for information leading to his whereabouts in late 2022. He was arrested in New Delhi weeks later, extradited to Australia, and charged with murder in March 2023.
Director of Public Prosecutions Todd Fuller KC defended the trial judge's conduct, asserting that justice was served when the juror accused of bias was replaced by a reserve who had heard the same evidence. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane also argued that Singh's sentence was not excessive, citing the brutal nature of the crime and suggesting a possible sexual motive.
The appeal court is expected to deliver its judgment at a later date.