# Defence says accused man’s alleged confession may have described a dream

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/plumbers-confession-over-the-brutal-murder-of-his-elderly-neighbour-was-just-a-dream-court-hears-as-jury-told-brother-may-have-misheard-him/
- Published: 2026-11-12T01:28:26+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T01:42:55+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16285805/brian-barnes-merril-kelly-quambatook-murder-trial-dreamt.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Barnes denies murdering Merril Kelly.
- His defence says an alleged confession may have referred to a dream or been misheard.
- The jury must decide whether the prosecution has proved its case.

## Summary

Brian “Bert” Barnes, 67, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Merril Kelly, 76, in Quambatook, Victoria. At his trial, his defence argued that an alleged confession to his brother may have been a statement about a dream, or may have been misheard; the case matters because the jury must decide whether the prosecution has proved Barnes committed the killing.

The prosecution alleges Barnes told his brother he had deliberately murdered Kelly and used zip ties, while she fought back and scratched him. The defence disputes that account and says his injuries could have come from a skateboard fall, questions whether he was conscious and deliberate, and says someone else may have inflicted the fatal injuries. Kelly’s burnt body was found near a cemetery after a fire was reported shortly after 6.30am on 21 January last year.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.