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Man guilty of murdering Briton in Aussie Outback

Australian drug runner Bradley Murdoch was yesterday found guilty of the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and the attempted abduction of his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, on a remote Outback highway four years ago.

Lees, 31, had told a court in the far north city of Darwin that she feared she too would be shot after 47-year-old Murdoch waved a gun in her face and ordered her out of the orange VW campervan that the British pair were driving to Darwin.

Murdoch had pleaded not guilty to murdering Falconio and assaulting Lees.

Police believe Falconio, 28, was shot dead almost immediately he got out of the campervan after being flagged down by Falconio. His body has never been found but the amount of blood at the scene was taken by police as testament to his death.

Lees escaped five hours later and flagged down a passing truck.

During the eight-week trial, Lees was asked whether the gunman was in court, Lees looked at Murdoch and told the court: "I'm looking at him."

The court was told that a smudge of blood on the shirt Lees was wearing matched Murdoch's. DNA samples on the makeshift handcuffs that Lees was bound with were also a match to Murdoch's -- as was a sample taken from the VW Kombi's gear lever.

Murdoch did not deny being in the area at the time, but he maintained his innocence.

Lees and Falconio's parents were in court almost every day of the trial.
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