Coroner's Court of Western Australia

Inquest into the Death of Dean Anthony POLLARD

Inquest into the Death of Dean Anthony POLLARD

Delivered on: 26 September 2018

Delivered at: Perth

Finding of: Coroner King

Recommendations: N/A

Orders/Rules: N/A

Suppression Order: N/A

Summary: The deceased at the time of his death was a 41 year old man with a history of drug use and related mental illness. The last time he was known to be alive was, probably, 27 May 2010, when he last used his phone. He was not seen again and has not contacted family or associates.

The deceased was first diagnosed with a serious mental illness in about 1987 when he was 18 years old. In October 1996 the deceased was referred by his doctor to the emergency department at Royal Perth Hospital with paranoid ideas and depressive symptoms following heavy cannabis use and occasional amphetamine use. He was assessed by a psychiatric registrar who found no current evidence of psychosis or affective illness.

In September 2002 the deceased was referred by his doctor to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with paranoid beliefs. In October 2002 he was diagnosed by a consultant psychiatrist with paranoid schizophrenia. From about July 2007, the deceased became increasingly addicted to methylamphetamine with associated drug-induced psychosis. The last recorded contact which the deceased had with medical or mental health providers was on 17 May 2010 when police took him to Swan District Hospital for assessment.

On 13 September 2010 the deceased’s father reported to the police that the deceased was missing. In April 2011 the deceased’s death was declared by Western Australian Police to be a suspected homicide. An investigation by the Major Crime Squad over the next three years found no evidence of criminality relating to the deceased’s disappearance, and suspicions about the possible involvement of three suspects in his disappearance were effectively removed.

Investigations conducted by the Major Crime Squad found no evidence of the direct involvement of any person in the deceased’s possible death. Investigators spoke to the deceased’s known associates and family members and found no evidence that the deceased had been in contact with any of them. Investigators from the Missing Persons Unit carried out standard signs of life checks and found no trace of the deceased.

The Coroner was satisfied that the death of the deceased had been established beyond all reasonable doubt but was unable to find the cause of death. The Coroner made an open finding as to how the death occurred.

Catch Words: Missing Person : Mental Health : Drug Use : Methylamphetamine : Open Finding.

 


Last updated: 30-Apr-2019

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