Canberra's legal community is preparing for a year of significant and emotionally charged criminal trials, with the ACT Supreme Court's 2026 docket featuring cases that have gripped the capital for years. From a decades-old murder mystery to a tragic crash that claimed a teenager's life, the pursuit of justice is set to unfold in courtrooms throughout the year.
Long-Awaited Justice for Cold Case and Partner Violence
The court term commencing on Monday, February 2, 2026, will see the start of a trial over a quarter of a century in the making. Joseph Vekony and Steve Fabriczy will jointly face trial, pleading not guilty to the 1999 murder of 72-year-old grandmother Irma Palisics at her McKellar home. Their trial is listed for eight weeks.
On the same day, another murder trial begins. Adam James Britt will fight allegations he murdered his long-term partner, 36-year-old Tiffany Spence, at their Reid unit in September 2022. This trial is scheduled to run for an extended period of ten weeks.
Tragedy on Adelaide Avenue and Alleged Attacks
A case stemming from a devastating crash is poised for a late February trial. A teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, is charged with manslaughter. Police allege he was driving a stolen car at speed near Parliament House on Adelaide Avenue in 2024 when he lost control, resulting in the death of a 15-year-old passenger.
In May, Zachery Norton is set to face trial, having denied a charge of attempted murder. Prosecutors allege he used a 25-inch machete at a Wanniassa home, severing another man's fingers and inflicting life-threatening injuries that required 14 hours of surgery.
Domestic violence allegations also feature prominently. One man, whose identity is suppressed, will stand trial in June after pleading not guilty to attempting to murder his partner of more than 20 years with a carving knife during a drunken incident.
Elderly Murder Charge and Cases in Limbo
The case of Manfred Uhle, aged in his late 80s, takes a different procedural path. He has denied murdering his 78-year-old wife, Wanda Uhle, at their Gordon home in June 2024. A fitness to plead hearing in March will determine if he is mentally capable of facing a standard criminal trial.
Several other high-profile matters may not see a jury in 2026. The case against Atem Marol Deng, charged with murder and arson after a body was found in a burned Holt home in May 2024, remains without a trial date. A directions hearing in February may provide clarity.
Similarly, the matter against Rajeev Kumar Pathak, the cardiologist accused of sexually assaulting female employees, appears mired in pre-trial proceedings. Pathak was suspended from practice shortly after his arrest in January 2025.
Three separate sporting coaches accused of child sexual abuse—former basketball coach Jesamine Wheeler, ice skating coach Rinat Ravkatovich Sabitov, and an unnamed boxing coach—have been committed for trial but are not yet listed in the upcoming court call-overs.
Perhaps the most politically significant case is that of former ACT attorney-general Gordon Ramsay, charged with grooming a teenage boy in October 2025. It is unclear whether his matter will proceed as a magistrate's hearing or a Supreme Court trial.
Legal observers note that court listings are subject to change, and delays are common in both the ACT Magistrates and Supreme Courts.
