A pre-trial hearing for the man accused of murdering 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley is underway in Cairns just days after he dropped his lawyer from the case.
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A pre-trial hearing for Rajwinder Singh, the man accused of the 24-year-old's death, began in the Cairns Supreme Court on Monday.
Defence barrister Angus Edwards KC and prosecutor Nathan Crane cross-examined expert witnesses on Monday regarding phone coverage data, CCTV and mapping.
They also cross-examined Ms Cordingley's family and her partner at the time of her death.
Justice Jim Henry is yet to decide whether the witnesses and evidence heard on Monday and Tuesday will be admissible in the trial scheduled for July.
He told the court he intended to refer Mr Singh's former lawyer, Derek Perkins, to the Legal Services Commissioner.
Mr Crane told the court Mr Singh had dropped Cairns-based Mr Perkins as a lawyer on Friday night.
Justice Henry read an email chain in which he quoted a formal response to the Crown by Mr Perkins saying, "I am uninterested in assisting you with your exhibit-forming email".
Justice Henry said the response was disappointing.
Justice Henry said he believed the Cairns-based practitioner's handling of the case warranted investigation.
"The material before me shows that there was little meaningful consultation with the defendant during the new phase of the process at all and no application brought," Justice Henry told the court.
"It's especially concerning because the defendant is charged with murder, and if convicted he will be sentenced to life in prison."
Complaints made to Queensland's Legal Services Commission can, where warranted, result in disciplinary proceedings against legal practitioners by either the Legal Practice Committee or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Cairns lawyer Michael Finch has joined Mr Singh's defence team.
The hearing is scheduled to end on Tuesday.
