{"id":299513,"date":"2025-11-21T15:21:30","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T15:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/299513\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:21:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T15:21:30","slug":"nrl-star-payne-haass-mother-uiatu-joan-taufua-to-claim-mental-health-defence-over-triple-fatal-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/299513\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL star Payne Haas\u2019s mother Uiatu \u2018Joan\u2019 Taufua to claim mental health defence over triple-fatal crash"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mother of premiership-winning NRL<\/a> star Payne Haas will claim a mental-health defence over the deaths of three people in a head-on collision during a police pursuit.<\/p>\n

Uiatu \u201cJoan\u201d Taufua faced Queensland Supreme Court on Thursday for an arraignment on the three counts of manslaughter stemming from the devastating crash on a narrow rural road in the Gold Coast hinterland on December 30, 2022.<\/p>\n

Taufua was due to enter pleas to the charges but her barrister Martin Longhurst instead sought to have the matter referred to the Mental Health Court.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis matter has a long history … a psychiatric report has been a very long time coming,\u201d Mr Longhurst said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI received the report yesterday afternoon. That has been disclosed to (prosecutors). It does give a reference to a potential section 27 defence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Section 27 of the Queensland criminal code is an insanity defence that a person is not criminally responsible for an act if they were delusional or did not have the mental capacity to control their actions or know they were wrong.<\/p>\n

Taufua\u2019s case should be immediately referred to the Mental Health Court, Mr Longhurst told Justice Elizabeth Wilson.<\/p>\n

That court decides whether an alleged offender was of unsound mind.<\/p>\n

Taufua stood in the dock wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a black dress with a yellow flower pattern.<\/p>\n

\"UiatuUiatu \u2018Joan\u2019 Taufua is the mother of NRL players Payne Haas and Klese Haas. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

Police will allege that she was fleeing police before ploughing into an oncoming vehicle, killing Chris Fawcett, 79, Susan Zimmer, 70, and her 35-year-old daughter Steffanie.<\/p>\n

Mr Longhurst told the Supreme Court in October Taufua had struggled to accept the death of her child.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the time leading up to the driving, the defendant had been displaying very aberrant behaviour ,\u201d Mr Longhurst said.<\/p>\n

Chace Haas, 21, died in Gold Coast Hospital in August 2020.<\/p>\n

He had lived his entire life using a wheelchair after breaking his neck in a car accident at just five months of age.<\/p>\n

It would be extraordinary for a case that has been running since December 2022 to have a referral to the Mental Health Court at this stage, crown prosecutor Dejana Kovac said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very unfortunate for the parents of the deceased,\u201d Ms Kovac said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a position that could have been avoided had these issues been sorted out earlier than yesterday at 4.58pm. The prolonged process has already had an impact on the families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taufua \u2014 the mother of Brisbane Broncos forward Payne and Gold Coast Titans rising star Klese Haas \u2014 was the crash\u2019s sole survivor.<\/p>\n

Taufua was on parole at the time of the crash after being sentenced to nine months in prison for assaulting two security guards at The Star casino.<\/p>\n

She was subsequently returned to custody after the collision.<\/p>\n

In November 2024 Taufua was committed to stand trial after conceding she had a prima facie case to answer.<\/p>\n

Justice Wilson said she would suspend Taufua\u2019s Supreme Court matter.<\/p>\n

Taufua was remanded in custody and her case will return to the Supreme Court in February for an update on the Mental Health Court\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.<\/p>\n

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