Victim’s fishing buddy ordered to appear before inquest

A FLINDERS Island man who was fishing with a friend when the friend apparently slipped into the sea and drowned has been directed to appear before a coronial inquest.

Coroner Olivia McTaggart yesterday directed Josh Ken- nedy appear at the Launceston inquest aimed at finding how Robert Charles Mansell, 42, died on August 8, 2015. It was believed at the time Mr Mansell had fallen off rocks while he and Mr Kennedy were fishing at Salmon Rock.

The inquest previously heard Mr Mansell and Mr Kennedy were good friends but frequently fought when they had been drinking.

In previous evidence the coroner heard Mr Mansell and Mr Kennedy were rivals for the attentions of Flinders Island woman Stephanie Riggall.

The inquest will hear from at least 10 witnesses and is ex- pected to take four days. The inquest comes after a CIB investigation found discrepancies in Mr Kennedy’s account of events in statements.

The inquest heard Mr Kennedy had told police in one interview he had tried to rescue Mr Mansell.

It was heard that Mr Ken- nedy did not call triple-0 and at another time a witness overheard him say, “I’m going to go to jail for this”.

The inquest heard that Mr Kennedy’s car ran out of petrol on the morning of Mr Mansell’s death.

He was walking along the road when a couple drove past him and he did nothing to raise the alarm. Detective Sergeant Peter Roberts, of Launceston CIB, told the inquest Mr Kennedy had refused to comment when he sought to interview him during the reopened investigation.

Mr Kennedy is due to give evidence tomorrow.