Bentley mentioned there have been quite a few alternatives to assist Clarke within the lead-up to her homicide that weren’t acted upon however mentioned officers who handled Clarke straight acted appropriately.
“Her fears had been real and sensible and finally confirmed within the worst doable means,” Bentley mentioned.
“I discover it unlikely that any additional actions taken by cops, service suppliers, pals or members of the family might have stopped Baxter from finally executing his murderous plans.”
The report detailed a number of pages of examples of Baxter’s controlling and abusive behaviours, together with recording Clarke’s conversations and cellphone calls, isolating her from household and pals and even disappearing with their youngsters.
Bentley discovered these actions all led to Baxter’s premeditated plot, which he carried out in February 2020.
Clarke had been taking her three youngsters – Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey – to high school from her dad and mom’ home after they had been intercepted by Baxter, who doused Clarke, the youngsters and their automotive in petrol earlier than restraining the younger mum and igniting the automobile.
Clarke was coated in burns to 97 per cent of her physique when she went to police however died in hospital that day.
Her youngsters died virtually immediately from smoke inhalation and burns.
“Rowan Baxter was not mentally ailing,” Bentley mentioned.
“He was a grasp of manipulation.”
“When Baxter concluded he had misplaced management of Hannah, he killed her and her three youngsters. He deliberate the deaths within the days prior.”
Bentley mentioned Baxter then killed himself in “a closing act of cowardice”.
Clarke’s dad and mom mentioned Baxter underestimated Hannah’s bravery they usually’d proceed to battle for an finish to home violence.
“I believe he underestimated how a lot a mom will battle. And the way robust a mom is,” Sue Clarke mentioned.
“We’re pleased with the findings.”
“We want the opposite states to take a look at what Queensland has began and are doing and they should comply with go well with,” Lloyd Clarke mentioned.
“It is an uncomfortable dialog we have began however all of us have to preserve this dialog ongoing.”
“Hopefully with the training nobody will fail to notice that danger once more,” Sue Clarke added.
The coroner made 4 suggestions which she mentioned required fast motion, together with the pressing fast-tracking of police coaching on home violence.
She mentioned specialist police orders should additionally attend a five-day face-to-face home violence coaching program.
The trialling of a brand new specialist police station, particularly geared up to deal with home violence circumstances, was additionally really useful, in addition to pressing funding for males’s behavioural change packages.
“Our organisation doesn’t have all of the solutions,” Bentley mentioned.
“We have to work along with all ranges of presidency, non-government organisations, companies and the neighborhood to establish and ship, sustainable, long run and culturally acceptable options.”
