‘Whatever it takes’: Family and playboy barrister pledge to appeal decision not to reopen inquest into teen girl’s tragic death

“Mum and dad will never, ever give up and nor will I”: A high-profile “playboy” barrister says he’ll never give up the fight to reopen the inquest into the death of a St Helens teenage girl.

SEVEN years after the tragic death of a St Helens schoolgirl, a grieving family has been informed an inquest will not be reopened to rule out the possibility of foul play – a development that has enraged a high-profile “playboy” barrister who has thrown his weight behind their cause.

Eden Westbrook, 15, died in February 2015, with a coroner deeming in a confidential report that she died by self harm.

Her family voiced concerns the police investigation had been bungled.

After years of fighting the system, even recruiting former Hong Kong Crown prosecutor Peter Lavac to help them pro bono, Eden’s parents have now been informed by Tasmania’s Chief Magistrate the case will not be reopened.

Eden’s father Jason said his family now planned to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Tasmania and hire a private investigator.

“Whatever it takes, we owe it to Eden to get it right,” he said.

Eden Westbrook, 15, died during 2015 at St Helens. Her dad is now pushing for an inquest into her death to be reopened, arguing foul play should not be ruled out. Picture: Supplied

Mr Westbrook has long maintained a number of mistakes were made in the wake of his daughter’s death – including that CCTV footage from the night was not provided to the coroner, that key witnesses weren’t interviewed, and that Eden’s date of death hadn’t even been properly recorded.

He also said his daughter’s body remained in full public view for several hours after her death.

Lavac, who is currently in Tasmania making a documentary about his life – partly which will detail Eden’s story – expressed disappointment over the refusal to reopen an inquest into her death as well as the lack of transparency in the case, with the 2016 inquest held in camera.

“Mum and dad will never, ever give up and nor will I,” he said.

A former Hong Kong Crown prosecutor, Peter Lavac has decided to throw his legal weight behind a St Helens family fighting to get an inquest into the tragic death of their teenage daughter reopened. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“I’m absolutely disgusted by what’s happened in this case.

“How can you have the inquest into the death of a young child behind closed doors, excluding the media, excluding the family of the deceased?”

Lavac said Tasmania Police “botched and bungled” the investigation, and left Eden’s body on public display for hours, in full view of motorists, schoolchildren and passers-by.

“It’s absolutely appalling and mind boggling,” he said.

“The incompetence of these police investigating this case, the incompetence of the police in mishandling the death scene.”

Last year, then-Tasmania Police deputy commissioner Scott Tilyard denied any police wrongdoing in the case, shortly after former Premier Peter Gutwein advised he would not intervene.

Lavac – a self-proclaimed “playboy” – has worked on more than 100 murder trials during his 40-year-career, and defended one of the henchmen of infamous Chinese triad gangster, “big spender” Cheung Tze-keung.

Lavac also made headlines when he fought Transport NSW in court after his licence plate “LGOPNR” was seized by police.

He lost the case, replacing his plates with “XXLEGO”.

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