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Ms Dhu inquest: family walks out after being told death in custody 'regrettable' Ms Dhu inquest: family walks out after being told death in custody 'regrettable'
(6 months later)
A police officer who sat with Ms Dhu while she was crying in pain in her first night in custody broke down while telling a coronial inquest about seeing the 22-year-old Yamatji woman carried from her cell two days later.A police officer who sat with Ms Dhu while she was crying in pain in her first night in custody broke down while telling a coronial inquest about seeing the 22-year-old Yamatji woman carried from her cell two days later.
Constable Carrie Sharples was tasked with managing the Port Hedland lockup on the night of August 2, 2014, when Dhu and her partner, Dion Ruffin, were arrested on separate warrants.Constable Carrie Sharples was tasked with managing the Port Hedland lockup on the night of August 2, 2014, when Dhu and her partner, Dion Ruffin, were arrested on separate warrants.
Dhu, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, was picked up on a warrant of commitment for $3,622 in unpaid fines, which allowed police to hold her for four days to “cut out” the debt as time served.Dhu, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, was picked up on a warrant of commitment for $3,622 in unpaid fines, which allowed police to hold her for four days to “cut out” the debt as time served.
Related: Police thought Ms Dhu could be feigning illness, inquest into death hears
She died two days later after collapsing into septic shock due to a severe infection to a broken rib after twice being declared fit to be in custody by doctors at Hedland Health Campus.She died two days later after collapsing into septic shock due to a severe infection to a broken rib after twice being declared fit to be in custody by doctors at Hedland Health Campus.
Almost three hours after the pair were checked into separate cells, Dhu, who had told police upon being processed that she had broken her ribs some weeks previously, and had later repeated that information to Sharples, began to complain of severe pain.Almost three hours after the pair were checked into separate cells, Dhu, who had told police upon being processed that she had broken her ribs some weeks previously, and had later repeated that information to Sharples, began to complain of severe pain.
After asking her to rate her pain on a scale of one to 10 and getting a response of “10”, Sharples said she told her superviser, Sergeant Ronald Patchett, that Dhu had requested to go to hospital, which Patchett approved after assessing Dhu himself.After asking her to rate her pain on a scale of one to 10 and getting a response of “10”, Sharples said she told her superviser, Sergeant Ronald Patchett, that Dhu had requested to go to hospital, which Patchett approved after assessing Dhu himself.
Then the junior police officer, who had only been out of the academy two years, decided to let Dhu wait with her until she could be taken to hospital.Then the junior police officer, who had only been out of the academy two years, decided to let Dhu wait with her until she could be taken to hospital.
“I went back down and she said, ‘Miss, I am in a lot of pain’, and I couldn’t justify leaving her in the cell, so I brought her up to the charge room and I saw with her,” Sharples told Philip Urquhart, the council assisting the coroner, on Monday.“I went back down and she said, ‘Miss, I am in a lot of pain’, and I couldn’t justify leaving her in the cell, so I brought her up to the charge room and I saw with her,” Sharples told Philip Urquhart, the council assisting the coroner, on Monday.
She said she didn’t handcuff Dhu because “she didn’t pose any risk to me”.She said she didn’t handcuff Dhu because “she didn’t pose any risk to me”.
Hanging out in the charge room wasn’t strictly allowed, Patchett had earlier told the court, but he said he believed Sharples and Dhu had a “good rapport.”Hanging out in the charge room wasn’t strictly allowed, Patchett had earlier told the court, but he said he believed Sharples and Dhu had a “good rapport.”
Related: Ms Dhu inquest resumes with domestic violence expected to be in spotlight
Patchett, like Sharples, said he had “no doubt” that Dhu was genuinely in pain on that first night, saying: “She was groaning when she moved. I have had broken ribs and I know how it hard it can be to sit up.”Patchett, like Sharples, said he had “no doubt” that Dhu was genuinely in pain on that first night, saying: “She was groaning when she moved. I have had broken ribs and I know how it hard it can be to sit up.”
He said on Monday that he did not recall ever doubting her sincerity but, in an interview with police internal affairs officers a few days after Dhu’s death, he said he told the officers who took her to hospital: “When you take her make sure she is handcuffed – don’t trust her.”He said on Monday that he did not recall ever doubting her sincerity but, in an interview with police internal affairs officers a few days after Dhu’s death, he said he told the officers who took her to hospital: “When you take her make sure she is handcuffed – don’t trust her.”
Sharples did not see Dhu again after she left for hospital, except for a brief conversation over intercom at 7.30am on August 4, when Dhu said she was not feeling well and requested a shower, facts Sharples said she conveyed to the lock-up keeper on duty, until she saw her carried from her cell.Sharples did not see Dhu again after she left for hospital, except for a brief conversation over intercom at 7.30am on August 4, when Dhu said she was not feeling well and requested a shower, facts Sharples said she conveyed to the lock-up keeper on duty, until she saw her carried from her cell.
“The last time I had seen Ms Dhu she was standing and talking,” she said, crying through her evidence. “Then to see her like that … I didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t process.”“The last time I had seen Ms Dhu she was standing and talking,” she said, crying through her evidence. “Then to see her like that … I didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t process.”
Sharples said she had run into the corridor containing the cells when she heard Ruffin yelling and security camera footage played in court showed her running ahead of the officers carrying Ms Dhu to open the back of the police van that would take her to hospital.Sharples said she had run into the corridor containing the cells when she heard Ruffin yelling and security camera footage played in court showed her running ahead of the officers carrying Ms Dhu to open the back of the police van that would take her to hospital.
“I think I asked her if she could stand up,” she said, adding that Dhu responded “I can’t.”“I think I asked her if she could stand up,” she said, adding that Dhu responded “I can’t.”
“She was conscious, she responded to my question … she wasn’t able to move herself.”“She was conscious, she responded to my question … she wasn’t able to move herself.”
Dhu left the station in the police van at 12.39pm, was assessed as being in cardiac arrest immediately upon arrival at the hospital and declared dead an hour later.Dhu left the station in the police van at 12.39pm, was assessed as being in cardiac arrest immediately upon arrival at the hospital and declared dead an hour later.
Related: Indigenous prisoners in police custody get 24-hour counselling hotline
First Class Constable Callan George, who told the inquest earlier on Monday that he thought Dhu was feigning her illness after she was cleared as fit to be in custody for the second time, said he “didn’t believe it” when told she had died.First Class Constable Callan George, who told the inquest earlier on Monday that he thought Dhu was feigning her illness after she was cleared as fit to be in custody for the second time, said he “didn’t believe it” when told she had died.
He then attempted to tell her family that her death was “very regrettable”, prompting about half a dozen family members and supporters to walk out of the public gallery.He then attempted to tell her family that her death was “very regrettable”, prompting about half a dozen family members and supporters to walk out of the public gallery.
“We don’t want their apologies,” Shaun Harris, Dhu’s uncle, told Guardian Australia.“We don’t want their apologies,” Shaun Harris, Dhu’s uncle, told Guardian Australia.
Sharples also said she believed Dhu’s broken rib was caused by Ruffin, and thought she may be a victim of domestic violence, though Dhu would only tell her that she got the injury “falling down stairs.” Ruffin, who denies being violent, told state coroner Ros Fogliani when giving evidence during the first part of the inquest last year that the rib had broken in a “tussle” with him.Sharples also said she believed Dhu’s broken rib was caused by Ruffin, and thought she may be a victim of domestic violence, though Dhu would only tell her that she got the injury “falling down stairs.” Ruffin, who denies being violent, told state coroner Ros Fogliani when giving evidence during the first part of the inquest last year that the rib had broken in a “tussle” with him.
Patchett said Dhu told him she was “bashed” but he didn’t investigate, saying: “I just knew in my mind it’s not going to be feasible to deal with it at that time because they are going to hospital, they needed to go to hospital.”Patchett said Dhu told him she was “bashed” but he didn’t investigate, saying: “I just knew in my mind it’s not going to be feasible to deal with it at that time because they are going to hospital, they needed to go to hospital.”
“For me to sit down with her, it would be three to four hours … it wasn’t going to happen, she needed to go to hospital.”“For me to sit down with her, it would be three to four hours … it wasn’t going to happen, she needed to go to hospital.”
The inquest continues on Tuesday.The inquest continues on Tuesday.