Coroner Jane Bentley broke down as she finished delivering her findings into the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her children.
While police did miss some opportunities to hold Rowan Baxter to account before he set his estranged wife Hannah Clarke and their three children alight, officers could not have done more to stop the Brisbane murder that shocked the state and country, a coroner has declared.
“Baxter made numerous appointments for counselling and with doctors – all of these were designed to assist him to contest the domestic violence order application and influence the Family Court process in his favour.“He did not have any wish to obtain counselling or address his problems; he manipulated doctors and psychologists.”Credit:“For example, he was not charged and put on bail for the breach of the domestic violence order and assault occasioning bodily harm [10 days before the fatal fire].
“The majority of frontline police officers who are dealing with domestic violence constantly ... had received one online refresher training program in the past five years.”The state government should urgently fund a five-day domestic violence training program for all specialist domestic violence support police officers.
Hannah’s parents, Sue and Lloyd Clarke, said they were happy with the coroner’s findings, but the changes were needed in every state.