Coroner Hears Kelly Wilkinson Was Turned Away by Police Days Before Murder
An inquest into the death of Kelly Wilkinson, a mother-of-three who was murdered in April 2021, was abruptly adjourned on Thursday after a sensational new claim emerged. The coroner was told that just days before she was killed, Ms Wilkinson sought help from police but was turned away and asked to 'cool off'.
Last-Minute Allegation Halts Proceedings
In a dramatic last-minute submission, counsel assisting the Wilkinson family, Mitch Rawlings, informed Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher that Queensland Police's account of their last contact with Ms Wilkinson on April 12, 2021, might be incorrect. Mr Rawlings stated that the family had informed him Ms Wilkinson visited a Gold Coast police station on April 16, 2021, but was sent away and told to give her husband a break.
Four days later, on April 20, 2021, the 27-year-old was doused in petrol and burned alive by her estranged husband, Brian Earl Johnston, at her Gold Coast home. Mr Rawlings detailed that one of Kelly's sisters drove her to Southport police station, where she remained in the car while Kelly went inside with documents. She returned to the car complaining that the person at the front desk had turned her away, saying words to the effect of 'just cool off. Give Brian a break'.
The bombshell allegation led Mr Rawlings to apply for an adjournment to investigate this additional evidence, which Coroner Gallagher granted. The inquest, which had been probing events leading up to Ms Wilkinson's death, was initially set to conclude on Thursday but will now resume at a later date.
Missed Opportunities and Systemic Failures
The inquest this week heard evidence that police missed crucial opportunities to protect Ms Wilkinson. Johnston had been incorrectly released on bail nine days before the murder after being charged with four counts of sexually assaulting his wife. Additionally, police failed by incorrectly filing Ms Wilkinson's complaint about Johnston allegedly breaching a protection order, making it much harder for other officers to access details about her case.
Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher, the officer in charge of the Gold Coast Vulnerable Persons Group, conceded that police had missed opportunities. He told Southport Coroners Court, 'Overall it appears they followed procedures that were outlined for them to do but there were areas they could improve on as well.' Officers were first made aware of Ms Wilkinson's domestic violence complaints 23 days before her murder and later visited her home to organise a statement.
Family's Heartbreaking Impact Statement
Mr Rawlings' last-minute claim came after Ms Wilkinson's heartbroken family wept openly while delivering an emotional victim impact statement on Thursday. Her sister, Danielle Carroll, said her sister had so much life left to live. 'This was her only dream - she was a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother,' Ms Carroll stated. 'She was home for her three children, a safe space; she loved them unconditionally.'
The children now live with Ms Carroll and her family, but she emphasised it can never be the life they would have shared with their mother. 'All that Kelly wanted from life was to love and be loved - there are no words for the way she suffered in her last moments. There will never be any words to pass on to her children to make them feel OK.'
She described the ripple effect of the tragedy as 'immeasurable', with the family surviving minute by minute, hour by hour. 'Losing someone to such a horrific murder is a different beast, it is unforgiving. For every milestone and achievement of her children, I stand with them and celebrate, but it should be her.'
Details of the Murder and Aftermath
Just after 3am on April 20, 2021, Johnston went to a petrol station and filled a 20-litre jerry can with fuel. Dressed in black clothes and a black face mask, he then turned up at Ms Wilkinson's home, breaching his temporary protection order. He attacked his wife, stabbing her repeatedly before dousing her with petrol and burning her alive. Johnston pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life behind bars.
The inquest continues to examine the systemic and individual failures that may have contributed to this tragic outcome, with the latest allegation adding a new layer of scrutiny to police responses in domestic violence cases.
