Brett Forte inquest: Court hears harrowing radio call as shots fired

The officer working with slain policeman Brett Forte on the day he was killed was worried about pursuing wanted man Rick Maddison down a dusty rural road, saying it felt like they were being ‘led somewhere’. ROLLING INQUEST COVERAGE

An inquest into the murder of Queensland policeman Brett Forte and the shooting death of paranoid gunman Ricky Maddison has heard the known criminal once poured fuel on his girlfriend in a domestic violence incident.

Senior Constable Forte, a father-of-three, was shot and killed on May 29, 2017, during a low-speed pursuit near Toowoomba by Maddison, who had been evading police for weeks.

Maddison was later shot following a 20-hour siege with specialist police.

Thirty witnesses will give evidence at the inquest, which is scheduled to run for two weeks.

Brett Forte was killed near Toowoomba on May 29, 2017. Picture: Facebook

‘TORTURE, VARIOUS ASSAULTS’: SHOOTER WELL-KNOWN TO POLICE

Detective Senior Sergeant Fiona Hinshelwood, who oversaw a police investigation into the shootings, told the court Maddison had had numerous dealings with police over a number of years.

“There were charges of torture, various assaults … and the deprivation of liberty (charge),” she said.

The court heard the charges were later dropped.

“Mr Maddison poured fuel on the victim and another aspect of it was allegations relating to him stabbing the headboard of the bed while she was in the bed,” she said.

In another incident, Maddison went to the victim’s house and fired a gun into the air.

Following this, police issued a “BOLO” – advising officers to be on the lookout for Maddison.

Officer safety alert flyers were also issued and he was listed as a wanted person.

Attempts were made to locate Maddison throughout March, April and May but he was considered to be living “off the grid”.

On March 12, 2017, Maddison attended his ex-girlfriend’s address with a gun and discharged it. An arrest warrant was later issued for his arrest.

Brett Forte’s widow Susie Forte arrives at Toowoomba courthouse for the first day of the inquest into her husband’s murder.

Because of the firearm danger, the police Special Emergency Response Team were engaged on May 21 and there was information Maddison may have been hiding himself at the property of his ex-partner.

Bank records showed he had been going to a doctor and had also attended a BP service station at Gatton.

On May 24, Maddison called tactical crime squad and spoke to Snr Const Cath Nielsen, wanting to know why police were looking for him and was attacking the credibility of his ex.

The inquest has heard an expletive-laden phone call Maddison made to police from a pay phone in which he demanded to know what charges police would level at him.

“I’ve been f---ed,” he told Toowoomba Sergeant Peter Jenkins, who repeatedly asked Maddison to come into the station or reveal his whereabouts.

“If you wish to come in and speak to us, then we will sort the matter out,” Sgt Jenkins said.

Maddison refused, demanding to know whether police would reinstate domestic violence charges he’d “fought for two years”.

“I can tell you there are a number of charges that relate to you ... I’m not going to discuss your case over the phone with you,” Sgt Jenkins said, adding that Maddison should “man up” and turn himself in.

“You f---ing man up and come f---ing get me then,” Maddison said.

“Mate I don’t know where you are,” the officer replied. “You tell me where you are.”

Wreaths at the Darling Downs Police District headquarters in honour of fallen officer Brett Forte 12 months after he was killed in the line of duty.

An angry Maddison argued police were planning to charge him with “as many charges as you can get” and that he had no money for a lawyer.

When Sgt Jenkins said Maddison knew he could access Legal Aid, Maddison responded by saying police, lawyers and judges all play golf together.

“You want me to come in so you can lock me up,” Maddison told the sergeant.

“Mate if that’s the end process, then that’s the end process,” Sgt Jenkins said.

“In the meantime, you need to get your version of events and you can’t do it over the phone.

“Why do you think we’re going to stop trying to find you?

“We’ll look for you at your friends and family’s places and anywhere else we might get told that you are.”

Maddison responded: “I’m a broken man ... I used to be proud.”

The sergeant repeatedly told Maddison to come into the station or give his location.

“And how did that work out for me last time?” Maddison replied.

“It was nothing more than a f---ing argument ... how is that f---ing torture and kidnapping and all of that s---”

Maddison complained on the phone that his former girlfriend had claimed he’d beaten her, arguing he couldn’t clench his fist after surgery he’d had as a teen.

“You hit someone, they stay hit,” he said.

“You’re not getting it,” Sgt Jenkins said.

“You’re accusing everyone else ... of not being honest.”

“You’ve got a badge and a f... gun, you can do whatever the f... you like,” Maddison told the officer.

“You’ve ostracised me from society.”

Sgt Jenkins responded: “How come all of this is everyone else’s fault but yours?”

Maddison continued to lose his temper, at one point saying: “Go f--- yourself you c---sucker, come and get me.”

“Put yourself in my shoes. I’m going to get f... reamed. Youse won’t tell me what the allegations are.”

Shortly after, Maddison abruptly hung up.

Ricky Maddison told police to ‘come and get him’ during an expletive-laden phone call. Picture: Facebook

POLICE START PURSUIT DOWN THE TOOWOOMBA RANGE

The court has heard audio and seen footage from a police car vehicle that found Maddison in his car following the phone call and pursued him out of town, and down the Toowoomba range.

Officers can be heard on radio organising for “stingers” to be deployed in an attempt to stop Maddison.

At 2pm, officers were advised on radio that SERT were aware of the pursuit.

Maddison kept to speed limits but did not pull over for police.

Officers were told Maddison had been involved in firearms incidents, “so any take down, be very careful”.

At a spot on the Warrego Highway at Helidon, police threw stingers onto the road but Maddison was able to swerve around them.

“Stingers deployed, stingers deployed ... and he’s gone around them,” a female officer can be heard saying.

“And he’s just given himself a clap out of the window for going around them.”

Communication continued with another police car about deploying a second set further up the road.

At the second location, near the Sandy Creek bridge, police were not able to throw out road spikes because of other cars.

At 2.14pm, Maddison suddenly veered off the highway.

“He’s slowing down,” an officer said over the police radio.

“He’s gone off road.”

Senior Constable Catherine Nielsen received a bravery award for her attempt to save the life of her slain partner. File picture: Liam Kidston.

Police followed Maddison along Forestry Rd before he turned onto Wallers Rd Gatton - a dirt road.

The police vehicle continued to follow Maddison along the dirt road, his car largely obscured by dust.

‘AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE, AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE’: MADDISON SPRAYS POLICE CAR

Maddison suddenly appeared standing beside his now stationary 4WD ute, pointed a gun at the police car and began firing.

Harrowing radio calls could be heard of officers realising they were in serious danger.

“Automatic gunfire, automatic gunfire,” one officer said.

“Need urgent assistance. A police vehicle has rolled. He’s shooting automatic fire.”

Vision from Sen Const Forte’s dash camera showed the car reversing until it rolled onto its side.

“That vehicle is in a lot of trouble,” one officer could be heard saying.

Then, “we’ve just rolled as well”.

A radio call was made by Sen Const Forte’s partner, Senior Constable Catherine Nielsen, who pleaded for help.

“We need help here,” she said.

“We are sitting ducks.”

Maddison peppered the police car with bullets, firing a total of 46 rounds at the police cars, Snr Sgt Hinshelwood said.

One of the projectiles hit Snr Const Forte in the right arm. Another struck him in the groin area.

A police vehicle from Helidon, the vehicle behind, also crashed and a bullet struck its bull bar.

Officers from the Helidon vehicle - Senior Constable Scott Hill, Senior Constable Stephen Barlow and Constable Brittany Poulton - went to help Snr Const Nielsen.

They then had to smash the front window to get out Snr Const Forte at 2.38pm.

A still from television footage of the car carrying police officers Brett Forte and Catherin Nielsen. Picture: Supplied

A vehicle from a Gatton crew was then brought up to retrieve Snr Const Forte and left the scene. They realised his condition was serious, stopped and then commenced CPR.

Snr Const Forte was declared deceased at 3.29pm but Snr Sgt Hinshelwood said he likely died at around the time he was pulled from the vehicle or shortly thereafter.

FORTE’S PARTNER FEARED TRAP; REPORTS OF AUTOMATIC WEAPONS

Detective Senior Sergeant Fiona Hinshelwood said the pursuit of Maddison was “sound” and in line with QPS policies.

But she agreed Sen Const Forte and Sen Const Nielsen had been in the process of reassessing the risk after following Maddison down the dirt road.

“They asked about the availability of PolAir,” she said.

She said Sen Const Nielsen had voiced concerns, saying “it doesn’t feel good ... like we’re being led somewhere.”

Barrister David Funch, representing Brett Forte’s widow, said police had linked Maddison to automatic weapons as early as 2007.

He said police had also been investigating reports of automatic gunfire in the Gatton area in the days and weeks prior to Sen Const Forte’s death.

He said Sen Const Forte himself had been heard over the radio during the pursuit saying they needed to be careful of weapons.

But the slain officer was not aware police had been investigating automatic weapons being fired in the area, instead believing Maddison may have had a sawn-off shotgun.

“These are important things to know during a pursuit, wouldn’t you think,” Mr Funch asked Sen Sgt Hinshelwood.

Mr Funch said in January, 2017, a woman living in the Gatton area called police to express her concern that she could hear a “large calibre” automatic weapon being fired at the rear of her property.

Detective Senior Sergeant Fiona Hinshelwood has given evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Brett Forte and Ricky Maddison. Picture: Peter Wallis

He said no entry was made in the QPS system QPRIME, the main system for the reporting of events and intelligence. It was instead logged in QCAD.

Mr Funch said multiple calls were made to police from local residents who said they had heard someone firing an automatic weapon in the area of Wallers Rd.

“Nothing was done about that, was it?” he asked Det Sen Sgt Hinshelwood.

Mr Funch said residents were “fobbed off” and told it could not possibly be an automatic weapon they’d heard.

Another resident called police and said she’d recorded the noise, but was told it would be of “limited evidentiary value”.

“It’s fair to say there were multiple calls on multiple days from multiple witnesses complaining of automatic gunfire,” he said.

Police later mounted a camera to a gate in the area where automatic fire had been heard on May 19.

Det Sen Sgt Hinshelwood said the “officers had not checked it” in the 10 days between leaving it there and Sen Const Forte’s death.

She said that was in part because Maddison had discovered the camera, repositioned it and “accessed the information on his laptop”.

Mr Funch told the court there were 150 occurrence reports on QPRIME about Maddison, meaning officers would need to search through a mass of material to discover he’d been linked to automatic weapons.

Snr Sgt Hinshelwood responded: That’s correct.”

‘HE LIVED A PRETTY LONELY EXISTENCE AT THAT POINT’

One of Ricky Maddison’s closest friends has told how the gunman lived a “pretty lonely existence” and believed the police were unfairly targeting him.

Andrew Beveridge said he had become concerned that police who were looking for Maddison might target him as well.

Police on the road leading to the property of gunman Ricky Maddison. File picture: Darren England

“I just didn’t want to be a part of it,” he told the inquest into the deaths of Senior Constable Brett Forte and Maddison.

“(He was) falsely charged over something I don’t believe he did,” Mr Beveridge said.

“Just before he goes to court, they pull charges ... let him go, weeks later charge him again.

“I just didn’t want to be the next victim.”

Mr Beveridge said he met Maddison through work and the two men had been close friends for 10 years.

“My children call him Uncle Rick,” he said.

“We were work colleagues and we became friends through work and found that we both enjoyed the same things.”

A tearful Mr Beveridge said they spent the night before Maddison’s death together playing chess.

“He lived a pretty lonely existence at that point in time,” he said.

“Where he lived on that property by himself, he didn’t see a lot of people.

“I just assumed that he wanted someone to talk to.

“He was normal Rick.

“Rick was a real joker, a real jovial fellow and he was being normal.

“We used to play chess together all the time, we had a couple of games of chess and laughed.”

Mr Beveridge said Maddison was living for six to eight months at Wallers Rd and he had visited him three or four times there.

Maddison went to Mr Beveridge’s house on May 28 and he left the next day house to get alcohol about 11am.

He said Maddison was upset when he returned and Mr Beveridge said he tried to get him to go with him to the Gold Coast.

“I had him in the car and we were heading out the driveway and for some reason I stopped,” he said.

“And he got out of the car and said ‘no I can’t Andy, I can’t Andy, I’ve got to go’.

A day earlier Mr Beveridge said Maddison had showed him a pile of guns in the back of the car.

During a police interview Mr Beveridge told them Maddison said: “It’s only when I become big, big, news that anyone is going to look at me case and see what they did to me.”

He said Maddison had told him that he had found a camera out at his property.