The matter concerning the murder of 85-year-old Macleay Island grandmother Liselotte Watson has finally progressed at the Brisbane Magistrate's Court.
After 11 attempts at Hearing for Mention, Macleay Island junk mail deliverer Steven John Fennell will appear before a Committal Hearing late in the year.
Three days have been set aside for the matter. The Committal Hearing will be heard from Monday December 15 to Wednesday December 17.
Steven John Fennell has been charged with the murder of Liselotte Watson and 11 attempts had been held to progress beyond the Hearing for Mention stage.
On each occasion, firstly the prosecution and then, the defence, sought adjournments seeking 'more time' in relation to the amount of evidence involved in the considerable matter.
The first two adjournments were requested by the prosecution; the latter nine were sought by the defence.
At the final Hearing for Mention on August 11th, a Directions Hearing was called for and agreed to by the magistrate Ms Bradford-Morgan. It is scheduled to be held on Friday, November 28, and the date for the Committal Hearing was also set.
The Direction Hearing is a sidelight to the Committal Hearing. A Directions Hearing means one witness may be questioned by either the prosecution or the defence. A decision will be made at that time if the witness in question will appear at the Committal Hearing.
The December Committal Hearing will then decide if Steven John Fennell will stand trial for the murder of Liselotte Watson.
It is expected several island residents will be called as witnesses at the Committal Hearing.
It is believed all witnesses involved with be notified officially in the coming days and weeks.
The 85-year-old grandmother was found dead at her home in November, 2012.
After several months of intense police investigation, with literally hundreds of islanders being interviewed and providing evidence, Steven John Fennell was arrested on March 14, 2013, and has been in custody ever since.