<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The family of a mother stabbed and set alight by her estranged husband are seeking answers after evidence emerged of police dismissing her </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/domestic-violence" rel="" target="" title="domestic violence"><span>domestic violence</span></a><span> complaints.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kelly Wilkinson was accused of "cop shopping" by Queensland Police who did not act on her complaints days before her badly burnt body was found outside her </span><a href="http://www.9news.com.au/gold-coast" rel="" target="" title="Gold Coast"><span>Gold Coast</span></a><span> home, a pre-inquest conference was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wilkinson, a 27-year-old mother-of-three, was repeatedly stabbed, doused with petrol and set on fire by Brian Earl Johnston at her Arundel home on April 20, 2021.</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>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-climate-change-risk-assessment-property-impact/6278ac2c-1e4a-4a60-867b-66e761984ebf" target="_blank"><strong><span>Aussies staring down the barrel of looming $770 billion catastrophe</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnston had been subject to a domestic violence order and was on bail, accused of sexually assaulting Wilkinson, when he murdered her.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wilkinson's family said they wanted to learn details about the police review into the handling of her domestic violence case at an upcoming inquest into her death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wilkinson's sister Danielle Carroll said police review details had so far been kept hidden from the family.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/kelly-wilkinson-inquest-family-seeks-answers-after-mother-stabbed-burnt-gold-coast-queensland-news/b40e7c20-f1df-42ad-9caf-d90a73a2cfcc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are very interested to see what's in it," she said outside Southport Coroners Court after the pre-inquest conference today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's a lot we have not been exposed to yet. There is still a lot for our family to process and go through."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Carroll said she was seeking closure at the inquest, the final stage of a series of court proceedings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's still a lot of information we don't know," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Hopefully we can learn something and move forward and make the world a bit safer for other victims."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/charlie-kirk-shooter-tyler-robinson-what-we-know-political-views-explained/9a17a048-d30a-4bd2-8882-a24bc7d7ca27" target="_blank"><strong><span>What do we know about Charlie Kirk's alleged killer?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher today heard Wilkinson told a domestic violence prevention centre she was fearful of Johnston because he had military training and had threatened to kill her many times.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Counsel assisting Bernhard Berger told the pre-inquest conference police had not acted when Wilkinson complained nine days before her death about Johnston allegedly breaching a domestic violence protection order by contacting her.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Records will reveal that the (Southport Police Station) officer has concluded the file with a comment that is quite critical of Kelly," Berger said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He comments 'it appears she is cop shopping to get the outcome she wants'."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gallagher heard Wilkinson, assessed by the prevention centre as facing a high risk of violence, had earlier complained about protection order breaches at Runaway Bay Police Station.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Berger said the officers' actions at the stations were initially upheld by a police review.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One week later, Johnston, a former US Marine, entered Wilkinson's home wearing black clothing and a black mask while carrying a backpack with a hatchet, duct tape, zip ties and sedatives.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wilkinson's body was found outside her home with Johnston located nearby by police after he collapsed and suffered burns.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnston was jailed for life in March 2024 after pleading guilty to murder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Berger told Gallagher the inquest also proposed to look into whether the police response to domestic violence complaints about Johnston were in accordance with procedures and policies.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"(The second issue) is whether the Queensland Police Service has made appropriate changes to training, policies and procedures to address any shortcomings identified in respect of domestic violence," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland Police solicitor Tahlia Boettcher did not speak at the pre-inquest conference today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gallagher adjourned the matter for a three-day inquest to start on a date to be determined.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Help is available from the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.</span></strong></div></div>