Major deception: Ex-British Army officer nicked over wife’s death
Widower fled to Thailand, remarried, and tried to cash in on million-dollar insurance payout, police claim
A retired British Army major has been sensationally charged with murdering his wife during a kayaking trip in Australia, four years after her shock death was initially ruled a tragic accident.
Graeme Davidson was arrested this week in Brisbane while visiting from Thailand, where he relocated months after his wife Jacqueline, drowned in Lake Samsonvale, north of Brisbane, in November 2020.
Queensland police now allege the former military man staged the incident to cash in on life insurance policies worth over AU$1million (21.3 million baht) and have charged him with murder, domestic violence, fraud, and attempted fraud.
Davidson, originally from Glasgow, was captured on video looking stunned as police burst into the room where he was sleeping on a fold-out sofa. The 55 year old was filmed throwing off a blanket and sitting bolt upright before officers marched him to a waiting patrol car.
Jacqueline, a beautician, was said to have fallen from a kayak and drowned. Despite desperate attempts by onlookers and paramedics to revive her on the shore, she died at the scene.
At the time, the tragedy was deemed non-suspicious but nearly two years later, a coronial inquiry raised red flags. Police then launched Operation Victor Harlow, uncovering fresh witness testimony and expert analysis of the lake’s conditions that suggested foul play.
Detective Acting Inspector Steve Windsor said investigators now believe the death of Davidson’s 54 year old wife was far from accidental.
“The cause of death was drowning, but it was a case of talking to witnesses and gaining further evidence that the matter appeared suspicious. Police are alleging the male person was involved in the drowning in the lake.”
He added that police would argue the couple, married for 26 years, had a “breakdown in the relationship” around the time of Jacqueline’s death.
Following her funeral, Davidson left Australia just five months later, settling in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin, 200 kilometres south of Bangkok. There, he quickly integrated into the local expat scene, taking part in Remembrance Day ceremonies and even giving radio interviews about his military career.
In December 2022, he tied the knot again, this time with a younger Thai bride named Pick Pattraporn, in a traditional ceremony.
Windsor confirmed police had considered extraditing Davidson from Thailand, where he had been living for “some years,” but instead waited for him to return to Australia voluntarily.
The Daily Mail reported that Davidson was refused bail and did not appear in person at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday, where the case was briefly mentioned. He will remain behind bars until his next court appearance on May 19, said Windsor.
“It wasn’t a straightforward investigation. It involved talking to experts and a number of witnesses, and basically putting a lot of small pieces together to form a bigger picture.”
A former friend told Daily Mail Australia that Davidson had served 22 years in the British Army before transferring to the Australian Army, where he was based at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane from 2010 to 2013.
They described Jacqueline as “a beautiful and very friendly” woman who was popular in her local community of Chermside.
Davidson’s son Hamish is believed to be living with him in Thailand, while his daughter Robyn recently visited her father in Asia.
The full story behind Jacqueline’s death may finally come to light as police prepare to lay out their case in court.
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