Brett Forte inquest: Finding handed down into shooting death of police officer by Ricky Maddison
The state coroner has found police missed opportunities to find and arrest wanted gunman Ricky Maddison, and that officer Brett Forte’s murder could have been prevented.
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Queensland’s state coroner has found police missed opportunities to find and arrest wanted gunman Ricky Maddison and that Senior Constable Brett Forte’s murder could have been prevented had police properly investigated and shared information.
State Coroner Terry Ryan yesterday delivered his findings into the 2017 murder of Sen Const Forte by fugitive Maddison, who was shot dead by Special Emergency Response Team operatives following a lengthy siege.
Mr Ryan said there were several “systemic factors” within the Queensland Police Service that may have contributed to the officer’s death.
“It is possible, but not certain, that his death may have been prevented if those factors had been addressed,” he said in his findings.
Sen Const Forte was murdered as he drove after Maddison, a violent domestic violence offender, along Wallers Rd, an unsealed 4WD track.
Maddison, angry at what he believed was harassment from police, led three patrol cars towards his hide-out and opened fire with a machine gun.
Sen Const Forte was shot twice as he attempted to reverse to safety. His police partner, Senior Constable Cath Nielsen, smashed the windscreen and pulled him from the vehicle while Maddison continued to fire.
The shooting came during a weeks-long investigation by Gatton police into multiple reports of a machine gun being fired into the bush.
Officers from Gatton had narrowed the noise to a property owned by the Byatt family. Adam Byatt, a friend of Maddison’s, had arranged for his friend to stay in the old hunting shack.
Mr Ryan said poor communication meant that most police – including the officers who followed Maddison along Wallers Rd that day – were not aware of machine gun activity on that very road.
“It is not possible to conclude that Sen Const Forte (and) Sen Const Nielsen … would have made the same decisions in relation to the pursuit … if they were aware that there had been reliable reports of automatic gunfire in that specific location,” he said.
He also criticised police investigating the gunfire for not making inquiries with the property owners, saying one conversation could have uncovered Maddison’s whereabouts.
“An interview with the registered proprietor … would have established that her son’s friend Ricky was renting the property from her,” Mr Ryan said.
“She had met Ricky and could describe him to police.
“In my view, it is likely that a more proactive approach by the QPS to the investigation of automatic gunfire at Ringwood would have resulted in Mr Maddison’s arrest, or at least a significant diminution of his capacity to enact his plans, had his hide-out on Wallers Rd been the subject of thorough police searches before May 29, 2017.”
Mr Ryan said it was a “missed opportunity” to not have an officer with “overall tactical command”, with knowledge of Maddison’s background and the police actions leading up to the incident, during the pursuit.
He described it as a “significant failure of leadership”, particularly when officers at the station knew SERT officers had previously been tasked with trying to find Maddison.
He said it was unreasonable to suggest Sen Const Forte or Sen Const Nielsen should have called off the pursuit themselves.
Mr Ryan said in the last 12 months a senior district duty officer to provide overall management and leadership, who could act as a “tactical commander” had been trialled.
He recommended the positions become permanent at the level of senior sergeant.
He also recommended the QPS implement a solution to allow searches across all information systems and intelligence holdings to ensure frontline officers have access to reliable and current information.
He said QPS should report on its progress within six months.
He also recommended all QPS officers were regularly trained in relation to their obligation to enter intelligence information correctly within relevant QPS databases in a timely manner and the ongoing management of the databases.
Mr Ryan also recommended the QPS consider implementing a statewide instruction in relation to firearms assessments as a way to review “shots fired” incidents with clear expectations in relation to the investigations of the incidents and reporting requirements.
Lastly, Mr Ryan made comment on the treatment of Brett’s widow, Senior Constable Susie Forte, and Sen Const Nielsen, who were subjected to complaints of perjury and failure to report misconduct following evidence they provided to the inquest.
He said both women were victims of a serious crime and should have been treated as such.
He said Susie “was not provided with the support she might have expected as a serving police officer who had experienced the loss of her husband in such horrific circumstances”.
Outside the inquest, Susie’s barrister David Funch said the way the two women had been treated by the service was “disgusting”.
“She was set upon by senior Queensland police officers because she had the audacity to ask them uncomfortable questions about her husband’s death,” he said.
“It is little wonder that junior police officers don’t come forward when they see people doing the wrong thing if what awaits them is the sort of vilification that Susie Forte and Cath Nielsen were subjected to.
“It’s disgusting the way these two women have been treated by the Queensland Police Service.”
Susie said her husband’s death was preventable.
“We asked questions and when we did, we were exposed to ongoing bullying, intimidation, threats, gaslighting and manipulation by the very same people who took a pledge to serve with honour,” she said.
“Brett’s death was preventable. He was murdered in a very undignified way.
“However, it has felt like this has been dealt with by the Queensland Police Service as if Brett suffered a paper cut to his finger.”
Brett’s brother Luke said the inquest had been a “waste of time” and criticised the six years it had taken to bring the proceedings to conclusion.
“Unfortunately, in the last six years we’ve already lost three brave officers…” he said.
“Dave Masters, Matthew Arnold, Rachel McCrow. That is three too many.”
He said he wanted to recognise the “strength, courage and commitment” Susie had shown to her husband.
“Susan is an intelligent, brave and inspirational woman and I will forever stand by her and support her in Brett’s absence.”
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