Jury discharged in sledgehammer murder trial

By Cheryl Goodenough

The trial of a man accused of murdering his estranged wife has been discontinued for legal reasons. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

A jury has been discharged in the trial of a man accused of murdering his estranged wife by hitting her on the head with a sledgehammer.

Shaun Robert Sturgess pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife of 17 years Jacqueline Sturgess at the start of the Brisbane Supreme Court trial on Monday.

In April 2020 police found Ms Sturgess' body face down in a pool of blood on the floor of the house they had shared.

Her estranged husband was arrested hours later at a friend's house.

Prosecutors alleged he struck her from behind with a 1.8kg sledgehammer.

The jury was sent home on Tuesday afternoon after being discharged for legal reasons.

The case will be listed for review on October 6.

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