A Queensland mechanic serving two life sentences for murdering a couple execution-style has appealed his conviction and 30-year non-parole term.
Lawyers for Cairns man Brandon MacGowan fronted the Court of Appeal in Brisbane on Tuesday to argue there was a miscarriage of justice at his 2014 trial, and that his sentence was excessive.
A jury found the 43-year-old guilty of murdering Mount Isa couple Scott Maitland and Cindy Masonwells after a dispute about $14,000 worth of uncompleted restoration work on Ms Masonwells' panel van.
The Supreme Court trial in Cairns heard MacGowan killed the couple execution-style in June 2012 after he spent their money without carrying out the work.
The court heard he shot Mr Maitland in the back of the head and stabbed Ms Masonwells in the back after collecting them from Cairns airport.
On Tuesday, MacGowan's barrister Angus Edwards said there were circumstances that suggested the killings weren't intentional, such as MacGowan leaving the bloodied van in which the couple were killed near his home and keeping the keys.
He said the trial judge failed to properly direct the jury in relation to MacGowan's conduct after the killings, and this may have affected the verdict.
However, Crown barrister Michael Cowen said there was overwhelming evidence of MacGowan's intent to kill, and it was open to the judge to hand down the sentence given.
Court of Appeal Justices Catherine Holmes, Robert Gotterson and Debra Mullins reserved their decision.
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