Shandee inquest reveals CBD's most dangerous places

The plan to remove evil lurking in the shadows after Shandee's death leads to push for increased lighting and CCTV cameras across Mackay

Six years after Shandee Blackburn was brutally murdered as she walked home from work, a safety audit on our streets was done. . Picture: grafxart8888

A CRIME Prevention Unit officer has pushed for increased lighting and CCTV cameras across Mackay after exposing danger spots in the CBD.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE STORY MAP

Sergeant Nigel Dalton told Mackay Coroners Court, which is holding an inquest into the murder of Shandee Blackburn, there were various 'entrapment zones' where something sinister could happen even if people were 10m away. High-risk zones were identified in Fifth Lane including two secluded rubbish dump sites where "somebody would be dragged in there ... and we would not know ... for some time".

Another area was the mid-city car park at Gordon and Gregory Sts where tree foliage obscured lighting and the alley leading from the car park to Wood St was virtually pitch black at night.

Sgt Dalton also said an area behind Sorbellos had "been a worry of ours for some time" despite being within 30 metres of the Victoria St taxi rank.

SAFETY CONCERN: Sergeant Nigel Dalton is concerned about certain unsafe areas of the Safe Night Precinct, including Fifth Lane (inset). He was asked to look into the safety of the area by Coroner David O'Connell as part of the inquest into the death of Shandee Blackburn (pictured). Picture: Contributed

Sgt Dalton was given a coronial direction to complete a safety audit of Mackay's most dangerous locations as part of the Shandee Blackburn inquest, which was exploring whether or not street lighting and surveillance should be increased.

He captured images that demonstrated the poor visibility in night in high-risk areas, including Boddington St, Juliet St and Evans St.

Sgt Dalton said little had been done to improve lighting on Boddington St since the 23 year old was killed in February 2013.

"CCTV needs to be updated and maintained," Sgt Dalton told the court.

Out of the 25 cameras across the Mackay Safe Night Precinct, Sgt Dalton said three were not working.

"We know about them not working it's just about getting the money together," he said.

The inquest heard Mackay's Safe Night Precinct had four times fewer cameras than the 108 CCTV cameras in Airlie Beach.

Sgt Dalton recommended if CCTV cameras were to be increased in the CBD they would be best placed on the roadways going south from Gordon, Wood, Gregory and McAlister Sts to record the people coming in and out of the city centre.

"So if there was a serious incident that had happened we would be able to clarify what time those people were there, what they looked like," he said.

"But that has to be in conjunction with better lighting.

"If you have the best CCTV in the world really it's not going to cut through the darkness of many of the suburban streets just outside the CBD area."

Sgt Dalton said federal funding was important because "to push this onto council is basically unfair".

The inquest heard the estimated the cost per camera was about $10,000 but the "installation could cost $100,000".

Sgt Dalton said any location in the city could become "high risk" if certain elements aligned such as the law breaker, target and opportunity.

The inquest so far: 

• DAY 1: Taxi driver reenacts what he saw the night Shandee died
• DAY 2: He had 'the look of fear in his eyes'
• DAY 3:Video shows last time Shandee was seen alive
• DAY 4: Security beefed up as key witness appears
• DAY 5: Peros was told of Shandee's murder via Facebook
• DAY 6: Court hears claim witness burned blood-stained clothes on night of murder

He also recommended the addition of Automatic Number Plate Recognitions cameras at "funnel" areas in and out of the city such as the three bridges and even as far out as Calen.

Sgt Dalton said those cameras were about $20,000 each.

The inquest heard in 2016 Mackay Crime Prevention unit, in conjunction with Neighbourhood Watch, launched the Community Camera Alliance where business and homeowners could register their private CCTV cameras with police.

Sgt Dalton said it was a voluntary system that was mapped with the police QPRIME system and it gave police extra possible evidentiary resources when a crime occurred.

There are currently 163 registrations throughout the Mackay Police District.

"We're quite disappointed to be honest with you with the number of registrations," Sgt Dalton said.

"(It is) a lot lower than I would expect."

LISTEN: Witness recalls night of murder in police recording

He said there seemed to be a general attitude in Mackay that "if it doesn't happen to me then I'm not really worried", which needed to change.

The inquest will continue today. Return to this link for updates.

Originally published as Shandee inquest reveals CBD's most dangerous places