Queensland Police failed to protect Kelly Wilkinson: Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd

A senior Queensland police officer has admitted police failed Kelly Wilkinson, the mother-of-three allegedly murdered in horrific circumstances by her estranged husband on the Gold Coast.

A senior police officer has admitted that Queensland Police failed to protect Kelly Wilkinson as he announced an internal review would be held into the mother-of-three’s alleged murder.

Police will allege Brian Earl Johnston, who remains in an induced coma in a Brisbane hospital, went to the home of his former wife Kelly on Tuesday morning and set her alight.

Johnston walked from police custody on serious charges without even having to apply for bail just eight days before allegedly murdering Kelly.

“Ultimately it’s a failure,” Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said as he addressed media in Brisbane on Thursday afternoon.

“She had engaged with the system, with us, and we were unable to prevent this from occurring.”

Assistant Commissioner Codd, who is the head of the new domestic and family violence command, said he understood that people wanted answers.

“We want answers ourselves,” he said.

He said police would conduct an internal review into the handling of the tragic case.

Kelly Wilkinson was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband Brian Johnston. Picture Facebook

Assistant Commissioner Codd said police accepted they were unable to keep Ms Wilkinson safe and that family violence was a cultural issue that everyone had to own.

He said police took very seriously the contact that Kelly had made with them in the lead up to her death.

Assistant Commissioner Codd said police always needed to strive to do better.

“It doesn’t matter that 999 times out of 1000 we get it right,” he said.

He said the circumstances around alleged offenders being granted bail would be reviewed.

Assistant Commissioner Codd confirmed Kelly made contact with police twice in the weeks before her death alleging her husband had breached a domestic violence order made in late March.

He said the scenarios Kelly described were consistent with Johnston’s bail conditions and a breach was not warranted.

Assistant Commissioner Codd said a crowded court system played no role in the decision to grant Johnston police bail on prior matters.

Brian Johnston is accused of the murder of his estranged wife Kelly Wilkinson.

When asked to explain how Johnston could have been granted watchhouse bail on serious charges only eight days before Kelly’s death, Assistant Commissioner Codd said there were a number of different parameters used by officers to determine bail.

“In reality very serious allegations may not necessarily articulate into the necessity for somebody’s liberty to be removed,” he said.

“That happens every day.

“It’s certainly something we will be examining whether the decision making around those was as fulsome as it could or should have been and whether it complied with the relevant legislation.”

He said young police officers were often the first responders at the scene of alleged domestic violence incidents.

He said police would look at how they could improve systems of support for young officers to help in their decision making.

Assistant Commissioner Codd said the alleged murder of Ms Wilkinson highlighted a need for police to play a greater role in protecting victims of domestic violence.

“There is no better way to accentuate your endeavours than by having a look at a crisis,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Codd said that while there were limits on what detail police could give the public, it would be remiss of them to not immediately look for opportunities to learn from the contact points in relation to Kelly’s death.

Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd says an internal review will be held into the handling of Kelly Wilkinson’s alleged murder. Picture: John Gass

He will take on that role in co-operation with the investigative team for the coroner as well as the southeast region and the Gold Coast district as they too conduct a review of the circumstances.

“This will include a review by the local high-risk domestic and family violence team that exists on the Gold Coast,” Commissioner Codd said.

“And in fact a number of those units exist across the state.

“I can imagine - having been involved in the establishment of that team in previous iterations when I was based on the GC myself - that team, the investigators and many of the police at the district will be absolutely beside themselves of these circumstances occurring on their patch and their watch.”

Superintendent Rhys Wildman said he was unable to comment on the specifics of Ms Wilkinson’s death due to the ongoing investigation.

“Every officer that had particular dealings with this matter … is devastated,” he said.

Sup Wildman asked anyone with information regarding her death should contact PoliceLink on 131444.