Flora Prior (1921–1947) was an Australian woman who was raped and killed by three men on the banks of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, Queensland, on 25 February 1947.
[14] Police found the body belonged to 25-year-old Flora Prior, who had been staying at the People's Palace in Denison Street, Rockhampton, and who had been employed as a domestic servant for Alpha cattle station owner Carrie May Everingham.
They appeared in the Petty Session Court on 6 March 1947, with 100 people peering through windows and doors of the courthouse attempting to view the proceedings.
[15] Dean also said when he saw the girl stop struggling during the sexual assault, he removed the handkerchief from her mouth to feel for breath, but Davidson told him that she had only "passed out".
[15] The detective told the court Dean said the men attempted to revive Prior but were unable to do so and left her body on the riverbank.
[20] A doctor testified that a great amount of violence would have been necessary to cause Prior's injuries and that the condition of her body was consistent with a woman who had been raped.
[21] Following several days of evidence, the three men were committed to stand trial in the Rockhampton Supreme Court for the wilful murder of Flora Prior.
[30] Brennan's decision to pass a lenient sentence despite the violent nature of Prior's death was met with widespread criticism from the victim's family, the community and the press.
[33][34][35] Chief Justice Neal Macrossan said he agreed with the opinion expressed after the trial, and that it could only be dealt with by sentences which were much more severe than those imposed by Brennan.