<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A murderer's history of domestic violence should have raised greater alarm sooner, a coroner has found, sparking calls for police risk assessment policies to be reviewed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Maryam Hamka, 36, was killed by her partner Toby Loughnane in April 2021 at his Brighton apartment, in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span>'s southeast.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Weeks earlier, on March 6, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="police"><span>police</span></a><span> responded to reports of a separate incident in which Loughnane chased Hamka while armed with a knife to her mother's home.</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" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Iran made chilling nuclear threat, US claims</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="" title="Victoria"><span>Victoria</span></a><span> Police's Family Violence Investigation Unit triaged the incident as medium risk in line with its guidelines.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In findings released today, State Coroner Liberty Sanger said Loughnane's long history of family violence should have raised greater concern and warranted specialist oversight.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This incident should have been classified as high risk," she said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/domestic-violence-history--of-toby-loughnane-should-have-raised-alarm-before-murder-of-maryam-hamka-victorian-state-coroner-liberty-sanger-says/e3b0a810-ad66-4454-b2ce-aa4755e635ab" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When police arrived, Hamka had already left the scene and denied the incident took place when they contacted her.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her sister, however, told police the incident did take place, telling officers Loughnane had also "bashed her really bad previously".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A police report noted the parties had no previous family violence reports despite Loughnane's history of family violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On April 11, Loughnane killed Hamka and later buried her body in a shallow grave at Cape Schanck, on the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="" title="Mornington Peninsula"><span>Mornington Peninsula</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A jury found him guilty of murder and, in February 2025, he was sentenced to 28 years' imprisonment with 20 years non-parole.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>FINANCE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/downsizing-costs-why-stamp-duty-moving-expenses-agent-fees-are-stopping-homeowners-explained/973605d4-c526-4a1c-aa19-715eddc12aef" target="_blank"><strong><span>The $78,000 fee stopping baby boomers from downsizing</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Judge Sanger did not suggest a different rating would have prevented Hamka's death or that it was wrong under the relevant policy, but said it may have overlooked the gravity of Loughnane's violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even if the risk assessment tool did not assess this as high risk, in my view, this does not obviate the need for members to use professional judgment," the coroner wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Loughnane had been recorded by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Victoria Police"><span>Victoria Police</span></a><span> as a family violence perpetrator on 21 occasions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had been </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/jail" rel="" target="" title="jailed for violent offending"><span>jailed for violent offending</span></a><span>, breached court orders and been managed under high-risk police monitoring in relation to other women.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Judge Sanger recommended the state government fund an independent evaluation of Victoria Police's risk models and Family Violence Investigation Units.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She also called on the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/government" rel="" target="" title="Department of Families, Fairness and Housing"><span>Department of Families, Fairness and Housing</span></a><span> to provide ongoing funding for long-term perpetrator interventions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.</span></em></strong></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" 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