Falconio suspect's trial fears

Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees were ambushed in the outback

Lawyers for an Australian man accused of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio say media coverage of the case risks preventing a fair trial.

Bradley John Murdoch, 45, appeared briefly at Darwin Magistrates' Court on Friday following an earlier hearing where he was charged with the murder of Mr Falconio, 28, of Hepworth, West Yorkshire.

Mr Murdoch is also charged with assaulting and trying to abduct Mr Falconio's girlfriend, Joanna Lees, 29, in an alleged ambush near Alice Springs in July, 2001.

Ms Lees, of Huddersfield, survived the ambush. It is alleged Mr Falconio was shot dead.

Trial date

The court set aside three weeks from 17 May 2004 for a committal hearing to determine whether Mr Murdoch will face trial over Falconio's death.

Outside the court, Mr Murdoch's lawyer Grant Algie said the defendant feared he would not receive a fair trial.

"I'm confident that if he can get a fair trial and get a fair go, his innocence will remain intact," Mr Algie told reporters.

Massive hunt

"My concern and his concern is, given the vilification that has taken place of him by the media, his right to a fair go and a fair trial has potentially been severely jeopardised."

After the incident, Ms Lees told police she was kidnapped, but managed to escape and hid in the bush. She later flagged down a passing motorist.

The body of Mr Falconio, a former student at the University of Sussex, in Brighton, has never been found, despite a massive police hunt.