Queensland detective criticised for delays in hit-and-run inquest

A detective was warned he was impeding an ­inquest into a cyclist’s death with his delays in performing tasks.

Joanne McCauley has denied she had any role in Chan’s death.

A detective was warned he was impeding an ­inquest into the suspected murder of a cyclist with his delays in performing tasks set by a coroner.

Detective Senior Constable David Neumann’s dressing down can be revealed as police resist laying charges over the death of Chinese tourist Shui Ki Chan. Chan’s body was found beside the Warrego Highway near Gatton, 90km southwest of Brisbane, in August 2012, the victim of a suspected hit-and-run.

A woman, Joanne McCauley, told 14 people she purposely ran down Chan, variously claiming the cyclist had given her the finger and that she did not like Asians, was on drugs and turned her vehicle around to hit him.

Prosecutors told police more than a year ago there was enough evidence to prosecute. In November last year, coroner John Hutton concluded Ms McCauley most likely collided with Chan on purpose and called on police to give ­“urgent attention” to whether to charge her with murder.

Mr Hutton also slammed Constable Neumann’s investigations as inadequate and asked police to consider disciplinary ­action. But the Queensland Police Service has not laid charges against Ms McCauley, and yesterday said the investigation “remains ongoing”.

Constable Neumann has separately asked the Supreme Court for a judicial review of the adverse findings against him, saying he was excused from giving evidence at the inquest on health grounds and was not given an adequate chance to respond. Documents lodged in court as part of his case include an email Peter De Waard, the counsel assisting the coroner, sent him in the weeks before the inquest was to go ahead in 2015.

“I just finished reviewing the material you brought in on Wednesday and I have to say I am not impressed. I thought I would have a full brief of evidence by now,” Mr De Waard’s email states.

“We had to chase you up and you claimed that you had to come to Brisbane to deliver the material because there was too much to send by post. The material you brought in on 22 April (2015) would have easily fit into an A4 post pack.

Constable Neumann had asked the coroner to hold the ­inquest after forming the view he could not lay charges.

“We are now three weeks out from a major inquest and you have not answered 13 of the 18 specific questions asked of you by the coroner two months ago,” Mr De Waard wrote. “Not only does this impede my preparation, but as you know, Ms McCauley is ­legally represented. We need to provide them with the full brief of evidence within a reasonable timeframe. I would prefer this ­inquest to be about who killed Mr Chan, not the inadequacy of the police ­investigation … but you need to do your bit.”

Ms McCauley has retracted her alleged confessions, now denying she had any role in Chan’s death.