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There was an "inadequate response" by police to incidents of domestic violence, prior to Gold Coast woman Tina Greer being allegedly murdered by her now-dead bikie boyfriend in 2012, an inquest has heard.
Key points:
- Ms Greer and Mr Sharman interacted with police three times in 2010
- Mr Sharman denied he owned firearms after allegations a gun had been held to Ms Greer's head
- In 2012, an Ethical Standards officer reviewed and referred the police response as he felt it was inadequate
The inquest is examining the disappearance of Ms Greer, who went missing from her Beechmont home in the Gold Coast hinterland on January 18, 2012.
The 32-year-old had gone to her Finks bikie boyfriend Leslie "Grumpy" Sharman's home in Spicers Gap to do washing.
She was never seen again, and her body has never been found.
Mr Sharman was considered the main suspect by police, but he died in a car crash in 2018 and wasn't charged.
The inquest is examining how Queensland Police Service (QPS) handled the investigation into Ms Greer's disappearance and the response to allegations of domestic violence involving Mr Sharman.
On three separate occasions in 2010, Ms Greer and Mr Sharman interacted with officers from Boonah Police Station.
In one incident, Ms Greer allegedly had a gun held to her head but was never spoken to in person by police.
In another, witnesses saw Mr Sharman drive his ute at her, and were told by Ms Greer "he's going to kill me".
Boonah Police Station Officer In Charge Sergeant Peter Boyce told the inquest there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Sharman or to prove that it was an incident of domestic and family violence.
In another, Ms Greer was left "black and blue", and Mr Sharman indirectly admitted to Senior Constable Peter Edbrooke — stationed at Boonah at the time — he was responsible for her injuries.
Counsel Assisting the Coroner, Stephanie Williams, told the inquest the officers' response to incidents were "inadequate".
"Contrary to the evidence given by officers Boyce and Edbrooke, in my submission each incident primarily involved domestic and family violence and should have been investigated as such," Ms Williams said.
"The Boonah Police Station was involved in each of those inadequate attendances and, concerningly in my submission, when asked, neither officers Boyce or Edbrooke showed an understanding or insight into their actions relating to the investigations.
"They maintain that at the time she (Ms Greer) was not a victim of domestic and family violence, and that is despite the benefit of hindsight and undertaking domestic and family violence training."
'Nonsensical' explanation for lack of investigation
Following the incident involving a gun, Sergeant Boyce interviewed Mr Sharman to check on his welfare, detailing the complaint to him and asking him whether he had any firearms.
Mr Sharman denied he did, and blamed the gunshots witnesses had heard on "scallywags" from out-of-town.
Sergeant Boyce didn't investigate whether Mr Sharman had firearms on the property, telling the inquest the bikie would have hidden or got rid of them before police got to his home.
Ms Williams was highly critical of this explanation.
"That a search for firearms did not occur because it was likely that Sharman hid any weapons — as suggested by Officer In Charge Boyce — is not only, in my submission, nonsensical but a failure to investigate a suspected criminal offence, as well as properly investigate whether or not Tina Greer was an aggrieved person," she said.
Ms Williams noted in 2012, Detective Inspector Jason Hindmarsh from the QPS Ethical Standards Command reviewed and referred the response to the incidents, as he felt they were inadequate.
"There are no Ethical Standards records relating to any disciplinary or management action taken involving Boyce or Edbrooke," she said.
"Jason Hindmarsh's referral in 2012 indicated that even in the culture and the training standards of the day, the responses by Boyce and Edbrooke fell short of what was expected of them."
Ms Williams said two other officers at Boonah Police Station, Senior Constable Wayne Nofke and Constable Peter Lambert, could not be criticised for their involvement due to their junior rank.
She also told the inquest the investigation into Ms Greer's disappearance was "prompt and extensive".
Salvation Army response under fire
Ms Greer had attended the Salvation Army Gold Coast Recovery Centre at Fairhaven twice in 2011, to shake drug and alcohol addiction.
She disclosed to workers on both occasions she was in an abusive relationship, but the inquest heard she was never given a referral to domestic and family violence support services, offered any counselling, nor were her disclosures recorded.
Instead, in discharging her on her second visit, one worker recorded that "she would like to see Tina (Ms Greer) realise her God-given potential".
Ms Williams noted there had been "little evidence of any improvement" to support domestic violence victims at Fairhaven since then.
"At the date of the inquest, The Salvation Army had drafted a best practice guideline for drug and alcohol services dealing with issues relating to domestic and family violence, which is four weeks from completion and has not been implemented," she said.
"At the time of the inquest, case workers at Fairhaven were not required to take, or offered any specific domestic and family violence training."
Ms Williams recommended such training take place immediately.
The Coroner told the inquest she expected to deliver her findings some time in December.
It comes after Ms Greer's daughter told media outside of court that she "will never stop advocating for my mum and other victims of family and domestic violence".