No blame over death
Man caused explosion
A CORONER has criticised a mental health service, but stopped short of delivering an adverse finding, over the death of a paranoid explosive expert who blew himself up while negotiating with police.
Glenn “Colonel” Sanders, 48, died after the explosive vest he was wearing detonated at his Derrinallum property near Colac on April 12, 2014, injuring two police officers.
Sanders was rumoured among locals to have been wearing a bomb vest for about 12 months, information that was passed to police.
Only months before his death, the Camperdown Mental Health Service closed his file because he had refused treatment without telling his GP or local police.
“I consider the failure of CMHS to advise (Sanders’s GP) and Victoria Police of case closure was a missed opportunity to continue CMHS treatment of Glenn, including consideration of involuntary treatment either in hospital or a community treatment order in the community,” Coroner John Olle said.
“Despite the seriousness of this error, absent speculation, I am unable to find the failure of CMHS to notify a general practitioner and Victoria Police would have averted the tragic outcome.”
The CMHS served the community well and had learned from its handling of Sanders, Mr Olle said.
Sanders was a drinker and speed user whose mental health deteriorated after his second wife died in 2012.
He was prone to paranoid delusions and believed he was being spied on by government agencies.
Locals knew Sanders was wearing a bomb, with at least one warning police, but because no formal complaint was lodged and police could not confirm he was wearing a device, no action was taken.
It was only after a long-time friend formally complained to Ballarat police that the bomb squad and Special Operation Group officer were called in.
Police negotiated with Sanders for hours before a bomb went off, destroying a building on his property, seconds later he detonated his bomb vest, killing him instantly.
“Glenn was responsible for the explosion that caused his death,” the coroner found.