An inquest into the loss of life of a 22-year-old Gomeroi man who drowned in a Moree river after allegedly operating from police, has heard harrowing proof about his ultimate moments.
The New South Wales coroner is analyzing the circumstances surrounding the loss of life of Gordon Copeland, who died within the Gwydir river within the early hours of 10 July 2021.
The Moree court docket heard Copeland, a father of three, bumped into the swollen river after police adopted the car through which he was a passenger.
Gordon Copeland’s household mentioned they keep in mind the 22-year-old father as a “bubbly and vivid” younger man.
His mom, Narelle Copeland, is hoping the two-week probe into her son’s loss of life will deliver them solutions and justice.
“I need to discover out precisely what occurred that evening. I need solutions. Life is simply not the identical with out Gord,” Copeland mentioned in an announcement.
The inquest is analyzing the occasions main as much as Copeland’s loss of life, together with the choice by police to observe the car, their subsequent search efforts and whether or not they might have carried out extra to assist Copeland after he entered the water.
Counsel aiding the coroner, Dr Peggy Dwyer, mentioned in her opening assertion that the ultimate moments of his life would have been “distressing and painful”.
The inquest heard proof from an professional that Copeland might have survived for so long as 40 minutes within the chilly water – with an estimated temperature of 11 levels.
“He had a slim construct, and after about 40 minutes Gordon would have grow to be hypothermic, he would have had diminished muscle power,” mentioned Dwyer.
On Monday Dwyer advised the inquest cops had begun to observe the black sedan through which Copeland was travelling over misplaced issues the car was stolen.
The coroner heard that officers noticed the occupants go away the car after it turned caught on an unsealed highway. After looking out the river and never finding anyone, the officers left the scene within the early hours of the morning, returning an hour later to gather proof.
The coroner heard there was confusion over whether or not or not Gordon Copeland had truly gone into the river, with officers initially believing there have been solely two occupants within the automotive, not three, and that relations have been initially advised all of these believed to be within the car have been “accounted for”.
Dwyer mentioned his mom acquired a textual content message from police “to say that there was no person within the river and everyone had been situated”.
She mentioned that his household have been advised to file a lacking individuals report after they'd did not find him and have been advised incorrectly that he was in custody earlier than native police then advised the household he was not.
“This uncertainty was upsetting and irritating,” Dwyer mentioned.
Dwyer advised the inquest harrowing particulars about how Copeland had been “moaning and groaning” as he struggled to outlive within the sturdy present within the chilly river, on the backside of an eight-metre cliff.
The court docket heard that the officers who had returned to the scene and heard his cries had referred to as to him saying he wasn’t in bother, and suggested him to seize onto one thing to forestall himself from being swept away. The officers have been unable to achieve him and referred to as emergency companies once they overpassed him within the present.
Dwyer advised the court docket that body-worn cameras confirmed probationary constables looking out the river within the preliminary levels, earlier than police returned for the second time, had spent solely 13 minutes in search of anybody who might have fallen down the embankment.
Regardless of steady and intensive looking out by Copeland’s household and buddies and a number of other later searches by authorities Copeland’s physique was not discovered till October 2021 – almost three months after he disappeared.
Copeland’s aunt, Jacinta Copeland, mentioned in an announcement the household hoped the inquest would forestall any household from experiencing an identical tragedy.
“We need to forestall this from occurring to different youngsters. Narelle’s acquired plenty of nephews and grandchildren who nonetheless should develop up in Moree,” she mentioned.
The inquest continues.
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