Esther Linder, AAP
A Noongar man who died in police custody was handcuffed as he lost consciousness, came to and then collapsed again before a cancelled ambulance was called again.
A directions hearing into the death of Jeffrey Winmar, a 28-year-old Aboriginal man who died after being arrested in Melbourne’s west last month, began on Tuesday before Coroner Sarah Gebert.
Mr Winmar was wanted on burglary offences and was believed to be at a property in Werribee, where police, including a dog handler were sent on November 9.
He was seen leaving the house after police knocked at the front door and climbed over several fences before being found in a clump of trees to the rear of a nearby property.
Counsel assisting the coroner Lindsay Spence said bodyworn camera footage from the dog handler showed Mr Winmar saying “please don’t let the dog bite me – please don’t let him bite me“ before kneeling on the ground, collapsing and losing consciousness.
The court heard police handcuffed Mr Winmar and placed him in the recovery position before calling an ambulance.
The request was cancelled when he came to.
A short time later Mr Winmar again lost consciousness and stopped breathing, as police requested another ambulance and did CPR until paramedics arrived.
He was admitted to Box Hill Hospital’s intensive care unit and died two days later on November 11.
Mr Spence said the cause of his death was a suspected cardiac arrest.
He said Mr Winmar had a laceration to his liver that “nothing apparent on the footage“ explained given the only use of police force was when he was handcuffed.
Sarah Schwartz, a principal lawyer at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, said there were significant concerns that only one bodyworn camera was in use despite multiple police officers taking part in the planned arrest.
“I want the police to account for what happened under their watch,“ Mr Winmar’s mother, Ursulla Winmar said in a statement that noted “inconsistent information“ given to them about his pursuit and arrest.
“I’ve been robbed of a son, he had so much left to give to us, and we still need him,“ she said describing Mr Winmar’s dedication to his family and son.
The matter will return in June for another directions hearing.
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Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905
