Yamba murder-suicide: Wayne Smith had guns revoked by cops prior to killing son, Noah
The NSW Police Minister has announced a special review into the issuing of firearms licences to applicants where mental health issues have previously been identified.
NSW
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A special review will be held into issuing firearms licences to applicants where mental health issues have been previously identified, following the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy shot by his father, who later turned the gun on himself.
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley made the announcement following the death last Thursday of 15-year-old Noah in Yamba, who was shot by father Wayne Smith who then took his own life.
Mr Smith regained his firearms licence last December, after it had been revoked when he told police he had mental health issues.
“I’ve asked the NSW Police Commissioner and the Secretary of NSW Health to examine the current processes and procedures related to issuing a firearms licence where mental health is a factor,” Ms Catley said.
The Police Minister said that while the Yamba murder-suicide was “yet another awful domestic violence death”, she couldn’t “speculate on the mental health of the man involved in this incident”.
She said the government would implement findings from a coronial inquest into the deaths.
“But if the coronial investigation or the review can shed light and recommend ways to improve the licence process then the government will make sure it happens,” she said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Catley admitted she didn’t know why Smith needed a gun.
Ms Catley was left scrambling to defend the police and government after revelations the 58-year-old had his gun licence reinstated despite police revoking it when he told them he had mental health issues.
Mr Smith shot his unsuspecting son Noah, 15, dead as he lay on his bed inside their home on Kookaburra Circuit at Yamba last Thursday.
Smith then took his own life, with the tragedy rocking the small Northern Rivers town.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal in August 2021 NSW Police officers arrived at Mr Smith’s home to take his guns off him over admissions about his mental health struggles – including suicidal thoughts – made while renewing his firearms licence.
The Firearms Registry – which sits under the NSW Police Force umbrella but is largely staffed by civilians – had flagged its concerns, resulting in his licence being suspended and Smith having to undergo an “independent medical assessment” before his licence could be reinstated.
Police sources said there were no other red flags for Mr Smith and he had no criminal history.
Ms Catley said she was unaware why Mr Smith needed a gun.
“No I don’t specifically, but in this country we’re allowed to hold a firearm licence,” she told Ben Fordham on 2GB radio on Wednesday.
“However, heavily regulated as it very well should be and it makes sure that that is up to date and it’s relevant to the day and that there is a renewal process that happens, you know, within three, four, five years.”
In a statement, NSW Police said: “In August 2021, the 58-year-old man’s firearms licence was suspended by the NSW Firearms Registry after concerns were identified during the review of his renewal application.”
“The man was issued a suspension notice, and three firearms were seized from his home.
“An independent medical assessment was undertaken, as required by the Firearms Registry, as well as a risk assessment, and in December 2022, the man’s firearms licence was reinstated.”
Ms Catley said the government would be open to any changes recommended by the NSW Coroner.
“It’s a terrible, terrible set of circumstances and if the coroner tells us that we have to implement and improve the licence process, then we will absolutely do that,” she said.
“It is clear that there is room for improvement as you’ve just outlined, this process has been shocking and ended up in a very tragic set of circumstances, the death of a beautiful young boy.
“But again the process which as you know, the firearms registry in the licensing process is very rigorous and it is therefore up to us I think to be guided by what the coroner tells us. And if those recommendations are that we improve, particularly around mental health, then we will absolutely do that.”
MUM ‘WORRIED’ ABOUT SON
It is understood Mr Smith had experienced significant grief in his life in recent years.
It is not known if this was the cause of his mental health issues, but sources said Mr Smith was continuing to undergo psychiatric and psychological treatment at the time of last week’s shooting.
The psychiatric experts involved in clearing Mr Smith to hold a licence are expected to be called before the coroner as part of their investigations.
As she prepares to bury her son and grandson, Mr Smith’s shattered elderly mother Glenda admitted that recent times had been “very tough” for him.
When asked about her son’s battles with mental health issues, Ms Smith said she had been “worried” about him.
“It’s too damn hard,” a tearful Ms Smith said. “I’ve just had the funeral lady here for two hours … he was the most beautiful man on this earth.”
A friend of the elderly woman also described him as: “A loving son and a loving father”.
EVIL DAD SPARKED REFORM
By Clementine Cuneo
A NSW coroner found the NSW Firearms Registry was “wholly inadequate” and failed to perform its key responsibility when it granted a gun licence to John Edwards who shot dead his two children in 2018.
Jack and Jennifer Edwards, aged 15 and 13, were murdered by their father inside a West Pennant Hills home on July 5, before he drove away and shot himself dead.
Their distraught mother Olga, who had endured years of domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, took her own life five months later.
NSW Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan found a series of critical ‘errors and omissions’ made by the firearms registry staff and police allowed a man with a decades-long history of domestic violence to keep his gun licence.
Ms O’Sullivan made 24 recommendations including better training for firearm registry staff to recognise risks, a call for police to bolster mandatory domestic violence training for officers and improved information sharing between the gun registry, police and the family court. –
‘COPS NOT TO BLAME’
Sources said the Yamba incident had shone a light on the importance of dealing with gun owners who have mental health issues.
“If you have a mental health issue you should not have access to firearms period,” one source said.
“It’s really not the cops fault, the cops have done everything right. Everything they possibly can within their power, the cops have done it. ”
Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she would support any improvements to the firearms registry should an investigation show they were needed.
“The NSW Firearms Registry undertakes rigorous assessment procedures around issuing of all firearm licences and permits,” Ms Catley said.
“These are continuously revised and if the investigation into the tragic circumstances of the Yamba incident determines improvements can be made, the NSW government will ensure it’s done swiftly.”
When the external psychological assessment came back recommending Mr Smith was again an appropriate gun owner, a risk assessment looking at any other notable factors was carried out, which also came back clear.
In a statement, police said all firearms licences were subject to such “rigorous assessment procedures” both before and after they are issued.
“These assessments enable the Firearms Registry to determine changes to a person’s suitability to hold a licence, which can be suspended or revoked on a number of grounds, including involvement in a domestic violence-related incident, mental health-related events, involvement in criminal activity, association with criminal groups, and/or in the public interest,” a NSW Police spokesman said.
“If a mental health concern is identified for any licenced firearm holder, the Firearms Registry suspends that person’s licence and seizes any firearms in their possession while assessments are undertaken, which includes a mental health risk assessment by a qualified medical practitioner to consider the suitability of that person to continue to hold a firearms licence.”
Originally published as Yamba murder-suicide: Wayne Smith had guns revoked by cops prior to killing son, Noah
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