Inquest told cop was left alone with dangerous criminal after partner went on meal break

An inquest into the death of a wanted criminal shot dead while under police guard in hospital has heard about the moment the cop was left alone with the man.

The senior police officer who shot a dangerous prisoner dead during a struggle at a Queensland hospital has revealed the critical moment how she was left alone in the room while guarding the violent offender.

Senior Constable Leesa Richardson became emotional at a coronial inquest on Tuesday while recounting the shocking turn of events three years ago that left wanted man Tyson Jessen dead.

Jessen was wanted by Victoria Police over an armed robbery but suffered a medical episode when he was arrested in Queensland in November 2018.

Tyson Jessen was shot dead while under police guard at Ipswich Hospital in November 2018. On Tuesday, a coronial inquest was told he was not handcuffed at the time as nurses were “struggling” to administer tests.

While under police guard at the hospital, he attacked Senior Constable Richardson while she was alone in his ward and tried to take her gun.

Jessen was fatally shot by the cop during the struggle.

The inquest into Jessen’s death will examine if he was adequately accommodated while in police custody at the hospital, whether police acted appropriately and if known information about Jessen was appropriately given to officers guarding him.

Senior Constable Leesa Richardson, the police officer injured when Tyson Jessen was shot dead by police in Ipswich Hospital.

On Tuesday, Senior Constable Richardson told the court she was left alone in the room with Jessen after her partner went on a meal break.

At the time, the senior cop did not even know Jessen’s name or why he was under police guard.

She said at the time she understood another officer was coming up the lift, but the lifts were locked.

“It was a poor decision on my behalf - I was complacent in my decision making process,” Senior Constable Richardson said.

She said she was grabbed by Jessen “within seconds” after getting off the phone.

“I had my back to him,” she said.

Jessen punched her in the face while they grappled on the ground and said “no you don’t” as she reached for her taser.

Senior Constable Richardson said Jessen then assaulted a nurse who responded, before she fired at him with her gun.

The court was told Jessen seemed calm and polite towards police prior to the incident.

Senior Constable Richardson was told there was no information about the job but did not contact her shift supervisor out of “complacency”.

“I decided I would go in and ask the hospital staff who we were guarding,” she said.

Earlier, the court was told Jessen was initially handcuffed to the bed and wearing shackles while in hospital, but at the time of the attack his arms were not restrained.

Senior Constable Daniel Wahlin gave evidence he had removed the handcuffs to allow Jessen to eat or go to the toilet, and to make it easier for nurses to treat him.

“I removed them so he could feed himself - he was having difficulty doing so,” Senior Constable Wahlin said.

“The nurses had difficulty operating around the cuffs.”

Senior Constable Richardson and her partner took over the guard later that day when Jessen was not handcuffed.

During the struggle, she suffered serious facial injuries as a result of Jessen punching her.

Senior Constable Wahlin said it was a “calculated” decision not to reattach the handcuffs as it would not have been a “reasonable use” of police force.

He said he was not worried about being in the same room as Jessen despite flags of his “violent, anti-police behaviour”.

On Monday the court was told crucial information, including Jessen’s criminal history, name and why he was arrested, was not shared with officers arriving on the shift.

The inquest, before Coroner Terry Ryan, continues.