Ms Dhu inquest: Dying woman shown no compassion; branded 'junkie' by police sergeant
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A police officer has admitted her actions towards a dying Aboriginal woman in police custody showed no compassion or professionalism, and were inhumane.
Key points:
- Police officer says her sergeant was frustrated by Ms Dhu
- Sergeant allegedly told Ms Dhu she was a 'f***ing junkie'
- Officer did not tell Internal Affairs investigators about sergeant's comments
Senior Constable Shelly Burgess gave evidence at a coronial inquest in Perth about her interactions with Ms Dhu, 22, who died after being locked up for two days at South Hedland Police Station in August 2014.
Ms Dhu, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, was in custody for unpaid fines totalling $3,622, stemming from offences including assaulting an officer.
Officer Burgess, who was on the verge of crying throughout her testimony, also accepted the findings of an internal investigation that saw her handed an assistant commissioner's warning for failing to carry out her duties.
Senior Constable Burgess testified that Sergeant Rick Bond - who has since quit the force - told her Ms Dhu was a junkie who was faking illness.
She said Sergeant Bond was frustrated and she wanted to appease him because "his word was law" and he was known to "verbally attack" people who questioned him.
Hospital request 'made senior officer angry'
The inquest heard when the officer came to take Ms Dhu to the shower, she complained of a numb leg so Senior Constable Burgess suggested she go to hospital, which made Sergeant Bond angry.
Senior Constable Burgess pulled Ms Dhu's wrist to sit her up, but Ms Dhu felt heavier than expected, so the officer had to let go and Ms Dhu hit her head.
After viewing footage in court, Senior Constable Burgess said it looked bad but denied yanking on Ms Dhu.
When Sergeant Bond arrived, Senior Constable Burgess told him: "I've just dropped her, she's hit her head."
The court heard Sergeant Bond allegedly whispered in Ms Dhu's ear she was a "f***ing junkie" who was messing him around.
Officer feared repercussions of police sergeant
Senior Constable Burgess said she never told Internal Affairs investigators about his comments because they did not ask.
Asked whether she was protecting her superior, she replied: "It can be looked at that way."
She said she also feared repercussions.
There remained no sense of urgency and Senior Constable Burgess said she only learnt Ms Dhu had also broken her ribs when her partner and fellow detainee Dion Ruffin shouted it from his cell.
Mr Ruffin also said Ms Dhu only used speed.
Senior Constable Burgess admitted telling Ms Dhu to be quiet as she took her to hospital.
As Ms Dhu was pulled out of the van, she said she could not feel her body and her head fell back in the wheelchair, but Senior Constable Burgess thought Ms Dhu was pretending to faint to get quicker medical treatment.
Ms Dhu died during that third visit in as many days to the Hedland Health Campus from staphylococcal septicaemia and pneumonia, following an infection in her fractured ribs that spread to her lungs.
The inquest continues.
AAP
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, black-deaths-in-custody, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, south-hedland-6722
