Toolbox killer Tuhirangi Thomas Tahiata launches damages claim over abuse at Brisbane primary

A convicted double murderer who tortured and killed two people before shoving them into a toolbox that was dumped in a dam has launched a $500,000 damages claim from behind bars.

A convicted double murderer serving a 30-year life sentence has launched a half-million-dollar damages claim against the state, alleging he was sexually abused as a student at a Brisbane primary school in the 1990s.

Tuhirangi Thomas Tahiata played a crucial role in the terrifying torture and killing of two people whose bodies were discovered submerged inside a toolbox in a South East Queensland dam in 2016.

Thaiata was found to have driven the victims to their death on the back of his ute before handing his co-accused a claw hammer to help smash holes in the side of the toolbox to make it sink faster as Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru who were trapped inside screamed for their lives.

Tuhirangi-Thomas Tahiata is serving a 30-year life sentence for the torture and murder of two people found inside a toolbox in a South East Queensland dam. Picture: Channel 9

He was sentenced to a life sentence of 30 years without parole in 2020 and has now launched a civil claim from prison against the State of Queensland alleging the state failed in its duty of care to him as a student at a Logan school in the late 1990s.

In the claim filed in the Brisbane District Court by Shine Lawyers representing Tahiata, the 31-year-old prisoner alleges that when he was in Year 3, he was forced to stand in the principal’s office for a day after getting in trouble.

He claims the principal asked him words to the effect “how would your parents feel if they found out you were in trouble” and he responded “I would get a hiding my father” and began to cry.

Cory Breton.

Iuliana Triscaru.

Tahiata alleges his principal told him to stop crying and after telling him “this will be our secret” went on to sexually abuse him.

The claim alleges the school had “a duty to take all reasonable steps and precautions to prevent the plaintiff, a child in its care, over which it exercised complete effective control, from being exposed to physical and sexual abuse whilst a student at its school”.

It claims the school also had a duty to employ people of “suitable character” as teachers, to properly supervise teachers, and a duty to implement an effective system for students to report abuse.

Police retrieve the toolbox from the dam.

Tahiata says he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and polysubstance use disorder as a result of the alleged abuse.

“On account of his injuries, the plaintiff has suffered consequential loss and damage in that he has endured and will continue to endure pain, suffering, inconvenience and loss of amenities of life, has received and will receive in the future medical and other treatment, has suffered permanent impairment as a consequence of the injuries, has lost income (and) has incurred and will incur in the future medical, travel and other expenses,” the claim states.

“As a consequence of his injuries, the plaintiff has suffered loss and damage compensable in damages in the sum of $511,730.00 …”

The state is yet to file a reply to Tahiata’s claim filed on September 6.