NSW: Coroner hopes to close Brimble inquest in July

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-2007
NSW: Coroner hopes to close Brimble inquest in July

By Paul Mulvey

SYDNEY, Feb 12 AAP - The coroner conducting the drawn-out inquest into the cruise ship
death of Dianne Brimble wants the hearing finished at its next scheduled session in July.

NSW Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge, who has presided over the inquest for
11 months, told Glebe Coroner's Court today she hoped to put it to rest soon.

"I'm keen to see this finish in July," she said.

While her goal was endorsed by lawyers representing Mrs Brimble's family and cruise
ship company P&O, the inquest's schedule was delayed even further when the court was told
today several witnesses who were expected to appear this week were unavailable or unable
to be located.

The current session concludes on Friday and the inquest is due to reconvene in July,
although dates have also been set aside in September.

The inquest was due to close this month, but only four of the eight men of interest
have appeared so far.

Mrs Brimble died from a fatal cocktail of the date rape drug fantasy and alcohol ingested
on board the Pacific Sky cruise ship in September 2002.

Mark Wilhelm, who had sex with Mrs Brimble in his cabin shortly before she died, is
among those yet to appear.

The inquest was also told today that South Australian police no longer wish to cross-examine
an earlier witness code-named Mr White.

Mr White had given explosive evidence last year that South Australian police had protected
some of the men of interest whom he claimed dealt drugs in Adelaide.

In evidence today, a police expert code-named Mr Smith was recalled after being instructed
to find the time and date degrading photos taken of Mrs Brimble shortly before she died
were deleted from a camera owned by one of the men of interest.

Mr Smith told the court it was impossible to ascertain the time, but said they were
deleted on the day she died.

Another witness, drug expert Dr Louisa Degenhardt, told the court her extensive research
showed only a slight increase in a dose of fantasy could result in an overdose.

Dr Degenhardt said there were seven deaths related to fantasy in Australia between 2000 and 2003.

The inquest continues in a closed court tomorrow with witnesses possibly appearing on Wednesday.

AAP pmu/hn/jt/sp

KEYWORD: BRIMBLE NIGHTLEAD

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