A lorry driver has appeared in court in connection with the murder of missing Brighton University graduate Peter Falconio.

Bradley John Murdoch, 45, was arrested yesterday just after being cleared of rape and abduction charges unrelated to Mr Falconio's death more than two years ago.

Mr Falconio has been missing since a gunman attacked him and his girlfriend Joanne Lees on July 14, 2001, on a desert highway in central Australia.

The attacker is thought to have shot 28-year-old Brighton University graduate Mr Falconio before tying up Ms Lees in the back of his pick-up vehicle.

Ms Lees, a travel agent in Hove, escaped and alerted police.

She told officers she had hidden in bushes for six hours before the attacker drove off.

Her clothes provided the DNA evidence that led to Murdoch's eventual arrest after one of Australia's biggest manhunts. He was named as the prime suspect after DNA tests.

Earlier this year, Murdoch abandoned his legal battle to prevent Northern Territory police testing his blood.

Murdoch appeared briefly before magistrates today ahead of his likely transfer to northern Australia.

In papers presented to Adelaide magistrates' court, police in the northern port of Darwin said they wanted to extradite Murdoch to their city.

Once there, he would be charged with murdering Mr Falconio and attempting to abduct Ms Lees.

The hearing was adjourned until Thursday after prosecutor Fred Wojtasik said authorities from the Northern Territory had not yet arrived in Adelaide.

Grant Algie, Murdoch's lawyer, told the court he was investigating the circumstances of his client's arrest.

He said: "There's a few matters regarding the legality of the warrant that I need to consider."

If he challenged the arrest warrant, Murdoch's transfer could be delayed.

Murdoch was handcuffed and flanked by four court security officers during today's 12-minute court appearance.

A jury hearing a separate case yesterday recorded a majority verdict that Murdoch was not guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of indecent assault and one count of common assault.

After hearing the verdict, Murdoch was escorted out of the court building by officers investigating Mr Falconio's death and taken to a nearby police station.

Mr Falconio's body has never been found.