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MELBOURNE - A Victorian man alleged to have murdered his three sons by driving them into a dam defied the notion that a father would do anything to protect his children, a court has been told.
Robert Farquharson, 38, is accused of killing Jai, 10, Tyler, seven, and Bailey, two, by driving them into a dam in Winchelsea, south-west of Melbourne, on Fathers' Day 2005.
He has pleaded not guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court to three counts of murder.
Prosecutor Jeremy Rapke QC said Farquharson was suffering from depression after splitting from his wife, Cindy Gambino.
He said the defence would argue Farquharson blacked out at the wheel of his car after suffering a coughing fit.
"Fathers' Day is usually a day when families get together to enable children to show their love and affection for their fathers," Mr Rapke said.
"But on Fathers' Day 2005 the accused, Mr Farquharson, carried out an act which completely turned on its head the notion that a father would do almost anything to protect his children.
"It was a shockingly wicked and callous act."
Mr Rapke told the 14 jurors they did not have to decide whether Farquharson killed his sons to punish his wife or whether he did it while in a chronic state of depression.
He said Farquharson escaped from the car, flagged down another driver but did not jump back into the dam to try and save his children.
The trial before Justice Philip Cummins continues.
- AAP
