Beau Lamarre-Condon does not deny he entered the house of his former partner, Jesse Baird, in February 2024 disguised and armed with his police pistol but he insists he did not plan to kill the home's occupants.
The 31-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Mr Baird, his new partner Luke Davies and the theft of Mr Baird's belongings six months earlier.
His NSW Supreme Court trial opened in the historic King Street courts on Monday.
Lamarre-Condon's barrister gave a brief opening address on Tuesday, saying the officer's case was that he entered Mr Baird's Paddington house with a key he had previously been given, not one he had stolen or copied secretly.
He disguised himself as an Uber Eats driver because he did not want to be recognised while collecting some of his belongings, John Stratton SC said.
There is no dispute the senior constable was carrying his gun because he was not allowed to leave it unattended in his car, as per police protocol, Mr Stratton said.
The defence would argue a struggle ensued after Lamarre-Condon was surprised by the presence of Mr Baird in the house's kitchen.
The police officer's gun then went off twice, killing the 26-year-old.
Mr Baird did not recognise the accused because of his disguise, Mr Stratton said.
After the struggle, the gun flew across the room, the officer's barrister said.
A call to triple zero was made from the house where operators heard someone say "Get out, f*** off" followed by a shot, the jury was told on Monday.
While the Crown alleges the call was made by Mr Davies moments before he was shot, Lamarre-Condon's lawyer said it was made by his client.
Mr Davies emerged from the bedroom holding a knife and a second deadly struggle occurred, the defence would argue.
"He never planned to kill or ever cause any harm to anyone at (the house)," Mr Stratton said of the defendant.
"His case was it was in self-defence."
During the conclusion of the prosecution address on Tuesday, prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC revealed crucial evidence inside the house was discovered only two months earlier.
A bullet hole in the bedroom door was found concealed with putty, fresh paint and a stick-on hook when officers re-examined the scene in July, Mr Hatfield said.
"The firearm was discharged close to the door with Luke Davies on the other side of it," the prosecutor said.
Lamarre-Condon's barrister conceded his client had done some "stupid things" when the brief relationship between he and Mr Baird ended.
Looking through Mr Baird's phone and deleting contacts and text messages were some of the behaviours the defence did not dispute, Mr Stratton said.
Friends of Mr Baird suddenly found they could not contact him with no explanation, the jury heard.
The jury would hear evidence the police officer began to follow Mr Baird around Sydney's eastern suburbs and create situations in which the two could supposedly bump into each other, Mr Hatfield said.
Lamarre-Condon also allegedly abused his position as a police officer to obtain CCTV from a pub to see who Mr Baird was meeting.
Several months later - when the pair had briefly resumed seeing each other - Lamarre-Condon allegedly posted an Instagram story with an internet picture of a bunch of flowers and a message implying Mr Baird had sent them.
However, the implication was false and Mr Baird could not see the post - only those Lamarre-Condon believed to be romantic rivals could.
When Mr Baird found out about the ruse, Lamarre-Condon allegedly rushed a florist to make an identical bouquet and took a photo of the flowers with his mother, telling Mr Baird the post referred to her, the Crown says.
The act of deception was the catalyst for the final breakdown in the relationship, which ended with Lamarre-Condon allegedly shooting Mr Baird and his new partner and disposing of their bodies, Mr Hatfield said.
But Mr Stratton disputes Lamarre-Condon ever exhibited any threatening behaviours before the fatal incident in the Paddington house.
The NSW Supreme Court trial continues.
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