Lawyer admits his tip-off that police ‘executed’ man was of ‘very, very, very low quality’

A Facebook website called Vigilante News has been revealed as the source behind a grieving father’s accusations that Tasmanian police “executed” his son.

Shooting near Glenfern in the Derwent Valley, police searching Glenfern Road. Picture: Chris Kidd

A Facebook website called Vigilante News has been revealed as the source behind a grieving father’s accusations that Tasmanian police “executed” his son.

A coronial inquest into Robert Greig’s death in October 2022 while being pursued by police on foot and in a helicopter has been heard in the Hobart Magistrate’s Court this week, attended by members of the Greig family.

Brighton man Robert Greig, 33, had been on the run from police since late September 2022 after firing multiple shots at police cars following a serious domestic violence incident in New Norfolk.

For two weeks Mr Greig lived in a bush camp outside New Norfolk to evade arrest.

On October 10 he was spotted driving a Holden Colorado 4WD by a member of the public who phoned it in. A police chase ensued involving road spikes, a helicopter and two units of the Special Operations Group (SOG).

Robert George Greig

A helicopter pilot who gave evidence to the court on Wednesday said he saw the ute stop after bush-bashing through dense forest following a lengthy pursuit.

A few minutes later the car was on fire and an explosion “like from a petrol tank or gas canister” went off.

Mr Greig’s body was later recovered from the vehicle.

On Thursday the lawyer formerly engaged by Robert’s father, Craig Greig, gave testimony before Coroner Olivia McTaggart that he first spoke to Mr Greig on October 13, three days after the death of his son.

During that meeting Fabiano Cangelosi said he had offered to act pro bono on the case. He then shared information with Craig Greig that he had obtained on his son’s death.

The source of Mr Cangelosi’s information was revealed to the court on Thursday as a long Facebook message from the editor of The Vigilante News, a website based in Tasmania focused on crime.

In the message Rodney Richards, now deceased, raised a series of pointed and suggestive questions regarding the police’s alleged involvement in the death of Mr Greig, including whether he had been “executed” by them and the car burnt to conceal evidence.

In a follow-up phone call between Mr Cangelosi and Mr Richards, Mr Richards told him he – or an associate – had been listening to the police radio and Mr Richards had heard “them” talking about police having used a “flash grenade” in the recent pursuit of Mr Greig.

Shooting near Glenfern in the Derwent Valley, police searching at the intersection of Glenfern Road and Triffetts Road. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Cangelosi told the court he “pressed” Mr Richards for more information, but the editor could provide no further details beyond: “All the police have been talking about that they must have thrown a flash grenade.”

Mr Richards said he couldn’t reveal anymore due to protecting his “sources”.

In a later message to Mr Cangelosi he said his information came from a police officer “in the know”.

Under intense questioning from the lawyer representing the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Mr Cangelosi admitted that two years down the line the evidence provided by Mr Richards was of “very, very, very low quality”.

Coroner McTaggert asked Mr Cangelosi why he had not appealed to her office for assistance with investigating the veracity of his tip from The Vigilante News. He responded that he wasn’t so advanced in the case as to request assistance.