Bourke St inquest coroner sorry after thanking police on families behalf
The Bourke St inquest has heard an extraordinary apology to victims of the attack, who were upset after a statement put the coroner in an “awkward” position.
Law & Order
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A coroner has apologised to family members of Bourke St massacre victims who were upset she thanked police on their behalf.
Coroner Jacqui Hawkins addressed the upset families before the start of evidence yesterday, at the inquest into the deaths of six people killed by James Gargasoulas, who mowed them and dozens of others down in Melbourne’s CBD on January 20, 2017.
On Monday, counsel assisting the coroner Stephen O’Meara QC said two officers — Sergeant Matthew Peck and Senior Constable Gregory Ralston — “went to considerable efforts to save the life of Matthew Bryant and … it would be appropriate for that to be acknowledged.”
The coroner then said: “Thank you on behalf of the families and society — the Victorian community — for looking after, or doing your best to look after, baby Zachary.”
Zachary Matthew Bryant was Gargasoulas’ youngest victim at only three months old.
Yesterday, Mr O’Meara apologised for making “false” assumptions and he should have checked them.
“I made certain assumptions about the process and provenance by which that was brought to my attention … I made those assumptions and I shouldn’t have made them,” he said.
By doing so, he placed the coroner in an “awkward position”.
Coroner Hawkins said she was sorry for speaking on behalf of the families.
“It was completely and utterly inappropriate and an error of judgment and I absolutely shouldn’t have said it,” she said.
“It was against my better judgment … I acknowledge it was insensitive and it has definitely hurt many of the families and I’m deeply sorry for the offence I’ve caused.”
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The court took a short adjournment after the apology. It wasn’t clear which families were upset.
The inquest had just heard how the pair “reversed” out of the way so Gargasoulas could pass them, two hours before the atrocity in Bourke St.
The actions of police in the hours before the massacre are being examined at the inquest.