By KATH GANNAWAY
A CORONER’S inquiry into the death of 22-year-old David Sinclair three years ago at Warburton has found he died unintentionally of ‘mechanical asphyxia’, after being tackled to the ground by Kieren Alkemade.
State Coroner, Judge Ian Gray, delivered his findings this morning (Tuesday) in Melbourne, and said he was “satisfied that the death of Mr Sinclair was the result of actions of Kieran Alkemade on 2 June, 2012.”
David’s parents, Annette and Doug Sinclair, were in court to hear the finding.
Judge Gray said the principal focus of the inquest was on the actions of Mr Alkemade, after he pursued David, who was found peering into the hotel room occupied by Mr Alkemade and his girlfriend at the time.
The key questions, he said, were around whether or not Mr Alkemade used excessive force in bringing David to the ground and restraining him, and whether he should have relaxed his hold on him earlier.
“It is clear, as a matter of causation, that the actions of Mr Alkemade caused the death of David,” Judge Gray said.
“There is no other contributing medical cause of death, other than mechanical asphyxiation.
“It is also clear that Mr Alkemade did not intend to cause David’s death.”
He said a secondary question was in relation to whether police acted appropriately in not attempting to resuscitate David.
He found that Leading Senior Constable Kevin Hall and Senior Constable Arin Eker were “highly-experienced” and that the observations on which they based their decision not to attempt resuscitation were a credible basis for that decision.
Judge Gray made no recommendations, but commented that the inquest had revealed there is little understanding (by the general public) of positional asphyxia.
“The speed with which a person can succumb to this cause of death when restrained in a prone position and unable to inflate their lungs is something that should be better understood,” he said.
More as it comes.
