Lewis McPherson inquest: Friend of drugged killer Liam Humbles did not care if he used gun to shoot strangers

THE best friend of drunk, drugged killer Liam Humbles says he “didn’t really care” he had a gun or whether he used it to shoot strangers.

THE best friend of drunk, drugged killer Liam Humbles says he “didn’t really care” he had a gun or whether he used it to shoot strangers.

On Thursday, John Tilly-Griffin told the Coroner’s Court he “trusted” and never feared Humbles, even after he had been punched by the teenage drug dealer.

He said Humbles would never have used the gun randomly and would “only shoot people he wanted to shoot”.

Mr Tilly-Griffin said he was never bothered about the gun, nor would have told police or adults about the weapon.

“Why would I? Besides my family I really couldn’t care less ... it pretty much doesn’t matter to me,” he said.

Asked if he would be upset had a family member been shot, he replied: “Absolutely”.

Asked if he would be upset about a stranger being shot, he replied: “Depends if I was friends with that person.”

Mr Tilley-Griffin had been summonsed to give evidence to the inquest on Wednesday, but failed to appear.

Asked, on Thursday, why he did not attend as required by law, he told Deputy Coroner Anthony Schapel he had been asleep.

Mr Tilley-Griffin then spat at and abused reporters and cameramen as he left the Coroner's Court.

Witness John Tilly-Griffin outside the Coroner's Court. Pic. Greg Higgs

His mother, Suzanne Tilly, also gave evidence claiming she had no idea Humbles — who lived in her home at the time of the murder — was armed or a drug dealer.

“I’m the mother, I’m the last to know ... had I found out, they would all have been out on the street or in the police station, I assure you,” she said.

As she began recounting the aftermath of the murder, which occurred outside her house, and how she held Mr McPherson as he died, his father Mark left the court.

Humbles, 21, is serving a life sentence for murdering Lewis McPherson and attempting to murder two of his friends at Warradale.

He shot and killed Mr McPherson, 18, on New Year’s Eve, 2012 — they had attended the same school but were not friends.

After the trial, The Advertiser’s exclusively revealed police were told, 191 days prior to Mr McPherson’s death, that Humbles was armed.

The transcript of a CrimeStoppers call about Liam Humbles possessing a gun.

It also exclusively revealed Humbles’ gun had been provided by Charles Alexander Cullen, who was jailed for eight years.

So far, the inquest has heard police had four opportunities in five months to seize Humbles’ gun.

They were unable to do so, however, because the officer who first dealt with his case made no record of tip-offs that the young drug dealer was armed.

On Wednesday, Humbles’ mother Elizabeth said her son had been an “uncontrollable time bomb” even before the murder, that she had disowned him and that she “blamed herself”.

On Thursday, the inquest heard police did not follow up on the tip-off with Humbles’ former school, who had called it in.

The acting deputy principal of Brighton Secondary School said she made a report to police about the gun after being called by a concerned member of the public.

Angela Richards said she thought Humbles, a former student, was dealing drugs was no surprise to her — but the idea he could be armed was concerning.

“My expectation was there was going to be some follow-up ... I expected police to contact the school (again) as would normally happen,” she said.

“At the time I was expecting the police to make contact and follow up with the school, and then whatever needed to be done would be done.”

However, Anthony Keane, for police, suggested that was not unusual.

“You really had no information to give, you had given everything you had,” he said.

Lewis McPherson was shot as he walked on a street at Warradale.

Mr Keane also cross-examined Mr Tilley-Griffin on aspects of the evidence given at Humbles’ criminal trial.

That trial heard that, just before the murder, Humbles had argued with a friend about using the gun to resolve a dispute with another drug dealer.

The trial also heard Humbles left Ms Tilly’s house “angry and upset” and encountered Mr McPherson — who said only “what’s up, Humbles?” before he was shot.

On Thursday, Mr Keane suggested Mr Tilley-Griffin was that friend.

“No, I ran back and said (to Liam) ‘I need your help’, not that I wanted the gun,” he replied.

In her evidence, Ms Tilly denied assertions, made by other inquest witnesses, that she was both a drug user and one of Humbles’ clients.

She said she had given up drugs “30 years ago” except for “what they would call a cone” on her birthday last year.

“How on earth they get so adversely affected by a herb astounds me,” she said.

She conceded that the more she tried to remember about the end of 2012 “the less I remember”, but recalled being upset at teenagers using her house to smoke cannabis.

“They were just hanging there, not even playing any decent music,” she said.

“I entertain no weapons (in my house) except words, and they need to be used with manners.”

Ms Tilly explained she had no “real” knowledge, prior to the murder, that Humbles was armed.

“I had heard about it, but I never collected evidence myself ... I don’t believe anything I’ve not seen with my own eyes,” she said.

“I really didn’t have the wherewithal to find out more about it.”

The inquest continues.

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