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Johnston had been out on bail for nine days before the tragic event, following charges of sexually assaulting Wilkinson on four separate occasions. This case has now become the focal point of an inquest into the 27-year-old’s untimely death.
The inquiry revealed that Johnston was mistakenly granted bail by the police, bypassing the critical step of presenting his case before a magistrate, which is the norm for such serious allegations. This procedural lapse has raised serious questions about the handling of his release.
Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher, who leads the Gold Coast Vulnerable Persons Group, admitted to the Southport Coroners Court that the police missed key opportunities in their handling of the case. “While they adhered to the procedures set out for them, there were areas where improvements were needed,” he acknowledged.
Fletcher concurred with the earlier testimonies, emphasizing that the gravity of Johnston’s four rape charges demanded that he justify his eligibility for bail in front of a magistrate, a step that was unfortunately overlooked.
The senior detective agreed with previous evidence that Johnston’s four rape charges were serious offences that required him to prove to a magistrate he should not be further detained.
“Would any of this have been outcome-changing?” Gallagher asked.
“That’s a hard question. There are a lot of unknowns,” Fletcher said.
Some of the officers involved had since been required to take part in remedial training, the inquest was told previously.
Officers were first made aware of Wilkinson’s complaints about domestic violence 23 days before her murder and later visited her home to organise for her to make a statement.
Senior Constable Julien O’Rourke said he assessed Wilkinson to be a “medium risk”.
“She said she had been receiving messages from a work colleague of Johnston … she said she was scared,” he said.
Fletcher said he was unsure whether the new generation of tablets issued to police since Wilkinson’s death could read PDF files.
The Gold Coast vulnerable persons unit now had more officers and Queensland police as a whole were now better able to respond to domestic violence victims, the coroner heard.
“We are always improving,” Fletcher said.
The inquest is due to finish tomorrow.
Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491.
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