<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> missed crucial opportunities to protect a young mother who was murdered after her estranged husband was incorrectly granted bail, a coroner has heard.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mother-of-three Kelly Wilkinson was repeatedly stabbed, doused with petrol and set on fire by Brian Earl Johnston on April 20, 2021 at her </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/gold-coast" rel="" target="" title="Gold Coast"><span>Gold Coast</span></a><span> home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnston had been released on bail nine days earlier after being charged with four counts of sexually assaulting Wilkinson.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-live-updates-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/94a5cc0c-0369-44b9-8765-70bb2633e2bd"><strong><span>Australia firm on sending troops to region</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tweed-council-fined-woman-6000-over-tiny-swap-meet-market/755cb54e-3798-4593-b3c5-8bc06578037c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Peita was slapped with $6000 fine for hosting 'tiny' swap meet</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An inquest into the 27-year-old's death heard Johnston had incorrectly been granted bail by police rather than having to argue before a magistrate for release.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Granting Johnston bail was one police failure identified in an internal review, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span> Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher heard today.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/kelly-wilkinson-inquest-court-hears-cops-missed-chances-before-mumofthree-kelly-wilkinson-was-set-on-fire-by-estranged-husband-brian-earl-johnston/7f8ce5f4-3cc1-4457-accf-e92a973e44c5" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher, the officer in charge of the Gold Coast Vulnerable Persons Group, said the police involved had missed opportunities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Overall it appears they followed procedures that were outlined for them to do but there were areas they could improve on as well," he told Southport Coroners Court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The senior detective agreed with previous evidence that Johnston's four rape charges were serious offences that required him to prove to a magistrate he should not be further detained.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Would any of this have been outcome-changing?" Gallagher asked.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's a hard question. There are a lot of unknowns," Fletcher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LATEST:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jackie-henderson-leaves-the-kyle-and-jackie-o-show-after-22-years-kyles-future-at-risk/0d1d1dd6-e805-4ca6-b1cf-356dbe6faca2" target="_blank"><strong><span>Kyle fill-in's message for listeners after Jackie O quits radio show</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some of the officers involved had since been required to take part in remedial training, the inquest was told previously.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> also failed by incorrectly filing Wilkinson's complaint about Johnston allegedly breaching a protection order, which made it much harder for other officers to find details about her case.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Officers were first made aware of Wilkinson's complaints about domestic violence 23 days before her murder and later visited her home to organise for her to make a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senior Constable Julien O'Rourke said he assessed Wilkinson to be a "medium risk".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She said she had been receiving messages from a work colleague of Johnston ... she said she was scared," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But O'Rourke said he was unable to use his police-issued tablet to read a document in PDF format that stated Wilkinson </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kelly-wilkinson-inquest-mother-of-threes-pleas-labelled-lower-priority-before-murder/1d62a782-f9ef-4615-bc1f-5fdc4ab74910" rel="" target="_blank" title="had been found to be at high risk after an assessment by a domestic violence prevention centre"><span>had been found to be at high risk after an assessment by a domestic violence prevention centre</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fletcher said he was unsure whether the new generation of tablets issued to police since Wilkinson's death could read PDF files.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Gold Coast vulnerable persons unit now had more officers and Queensland police as a whole were now better able to respond to domestic violence victims, the coroner heard.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are always improving," Fletcher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The inquest is due to finish tomorrow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>