John Fredrick Schulte coronial inquest day one

A woman who begged police to intervene after making repeated reports of her ex-husband’s abuse and threats before his suicide has told a court she no longer trusts the Queensland Police Service.

A woman who begged police to intervene after making repeated reports of her ex-husband’s abuse and threats before his suicide has told a court she no longer trusts the Queensland Police Service.

Samantha Schulte’s comments came on the first day of the coronial inquest into the suicide death of her former husband, John Fredrick Schulte.

The inquest will investigate three reports Ms Schulte made to police in the lead-up to her estranged husband’s suicide on Christmas Day, 2018, during a police siege at his Oonoonba home.

It will also examine whether more needs to be done to prepare officers attending domestic violence situations.

Townsville man John Fredrick Schulte died by suicide on Christmas Day 2018, after his then wife made repeated reports to police about his abuse, domestic violence and possession of weapons.

The court heard Ms Schulte survived physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Mr Schulte, which included threats to shoot her and himself.

The first report came on November 30, 2018 after Mr Schulte made a threat in a text, asking her to “say I’m sorry” to their children.

When she told officers of a previous suicide attempt made by Mr Schulte, officers later told her it was a “tough time of year” to be going through a separation.

After the second incident on December 17, Ms Schulte told officers the full extent of the abuse, but said her concerns were brushed aside, despite asking if a domestic violence protection order could be put in place.

“They told him (Mr Schulte) that what he was doing was domestic violence, but would give him one last chance …,” Ms Schulte said.

“I didn’t know how much more was normal (or) was I meant to put up with it? And I was scared and I had told them (officers) everything, and it didn’t matter.”

Townsville Court House. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The third complaint was made the day before Mr Schulte’s death after Ms Schulte dropped her children off at his rental.

“He told me that I wouldn’t see my children again,” Ms Schulte said.

A female officer told Ms Schulte police could not go and get them, and she would “have to put them in DOCS (Department of Child Safety)”.

She told the court the experience had caused her to lose trust in police.

“I can’t even see one (police officer) now without having an anxiety attack,” Ms Schulte said.

District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Darren Martin Randall told the court he had seen a “relentless” increase in domestic violence calls since 2006.

He said because officers had to attend multiple jobs during a shift, it was “difficult” to switch their response from violent or traffic incidents to domestic violence situations.

Constable Sharon Molyneaux, who spoke with Mr Schulte after the first incident told the court she had believed at the time there had been no grounds for a DVO.

In bodyworn footage played to the court, Mr Schulte told constable Molyneaux he knew officers were there to speak with him because “my wife said I was going to shoot her and shoot myself”.

Constable Molyneaux was heard to have told Mr Schulte had been a “saint to put up with” his complaint that there had been a lack of intimacy with Ms Schulte.

The inquest continues.

Read the day two coverage here.

Originally published as John Fredrick Schulte coronial inquest day one