Dad speaks after tragedy
THE shattered father of the four children killed in the Margaret River family shooting massacre in Western Australia says he still loves their grandfather despite him being believed to be responsible for their deaths.
Peter Miles, 61, his 58-yearold wife Cynda, daughter Katrina, 35, and Mr Cockman’s four children – daughter Taye, 13, and sons Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn Cockman, 8 – were found dead at the Miles’ Osmington property, northeast of Margaret River, on Friday.
They had all been shot by firearms licensed to Mr Miles.
“I still love who Peter was,” Mr Cockman said Margaret River yesterday, marking the first time he had spoken publicly about the tragedy.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have Katrina, I wouldn’t have her kids. It’s not some random guy off the street who’s taken them away from me – he gave them to me and now he’s taken them away.
“If it had to happen, there is no better person than that.
“Peter didn’t snap. He’s thought this through. I think he’s been thinking this through for a long time. All the kids died peacefully in their beds.
“They looked all peaceful. How the hell Peter did that, I still can’t figure out. He did a good job. He did a really good job.”
Mr Cockman, who was estranged from Katrina and had been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute with her, said he had not spoken to Peter and Cynda “since they cut me off from my kids”.
Despite all of that resentment and anguish, he says he still loves Cynda too. “She’s a nice lady. She was my friend.
“Anger will destroy you. I’m sad but I’ll get through this.”
WA Premier Mark McGowan visited Margaret River yesterday which had “endured the unendurable”.
Mr McGowan said he had ACROSS 1 It’s not unusual to be
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“For me, this is one of the worst tragedies Western Australia has seen,” the premier said.
Mr McGowan defended Australia’s strict firearm laws, but said he would wait and see if the coroner had any suggestions for legislative change.
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the bodies had been removed from the property, but the investigation would be lengthy. 5