<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The mother of premiership-winning NRL star Payne Haas will claim a mental-health defence over the deaths of three people in a head-on collision during a police pursuit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Uiatu "Joan" Taufua faced Queensland Supreme Court today 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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pfas-senate-inquiry-final-report-calls-to-ban-forever-chemical/f8f20b62-ef9d-48b4-a4dc-863594ef32c8" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Asbestos of the 21st century': Calls to ban chemical Aussies are exposed to every day</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This matter has a long history ... a psychiatric report has been a very long time coming," Longhurst said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I received the report yesterday afternoon. That has been disclosed to (prosecutors). It does give a reference to a potential section 27 defence."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-court-nrl-star-payne-haas-mum-uiatu-joan-taufua-mental-health-defence-over-triple-fatal-crash/48827ce1-6c2f-4bba-be32-71f93aa59367" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taufua's case should be immediately referred to the Mental Health Court, Longhurst told Justice Elizabeth Wilson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That court decides whether an alleged offender was of unsound mind.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taufua stood in the dock wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a black dress with a yellow flower pattern.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Longhurst told the Supreme Court in October Taufua had struggled to accept the death of her child.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/trucking-companies-facing-tough-times/3c45419a-4b63-4835-8065-d3b641aaa4b3" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Warning entire industry critical for Australian economy on the brink of collapse</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the time leading up to the driving, the defendant had been displaying very aberrant behaviour," Longhurst said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chace Haas, 21, died in Gold Coast Hospital in August 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had lived his entire life using a wheelchair after breaking his neck in a car accident at just five months of age.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's very unfortunate for the parents of the deceased," Ms Kovac said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's 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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taufua - the mother of Brisbane Broncos forward Payne and Gold Coast Titans rising star Klese Haas - was the crash's sole survivor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She was subsequently returned to custody after the collision.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/owner-charged-after-ute-with-dog-dead-inside-found-on-street-queensland/1532d732-7402-48d7-a35d-bb183d84e7ca" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Bizarre twist as owner charged over death of Arnie the German shepherd</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In November 2024, Taufua was committed to stand trial after conceding she had a prima facie case to answer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Wilson said she would suspend Taufua's Supreme Court matter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taufua was remanded in custody and her case will return to the Supreme Court in February for an update on the Mental Health Court's progress.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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