Wait for ‘urgent’ report
A REVIEW of prisoner psychiatric treatment and discharge processes, ordered following the murder of a North Hobart shopkeeper, will not report until at least March, the Coroners Court has heard.
In September Daryl Royston Wayne Cook, 36, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering Voula Delios, 68, in her North Hob- art grocery shop on July 2016.
Cook, who later told police he was waging war against heathens, stabbed Mrs Delios 22 times.
The Supreme Court heard Cook, a diagnosed schizophrenic who was psychotic before and at the time of the killing, was released from prison the day before he killed Mrs Delios.
Justice Gregory 23, Geason sentenced Cook to indefinite detention in a secure mental health unit.
Following the verdict and sentencing, the health and justice departments were asked to urgently examine prisoner psychiatric assessments and prisoner discharge processes.
Corrections Minister Elise Archer and Health Minister Michael Ferguson said while there would be a coronial investigation, it was appropriate that further work was done as an “urgent priority to ensure that psychiatric care assessments and prisoner discharge processes are as rigorous as they can be”.
An inquest into the death of Mrs Delios will focus on her killer’s time in prison in the lead-up to her death.
A case management conference for Mrs Delios’s inquest was held in Hobart yesterday, with Coroner Simon Cooper seeking an update on the progress of the review.
Counsel for the state, Paul Turner, said the internal investigation was complex and ongoing.
Mr Turner said it would be March “at the earliest” before the taskforce conducting the review would have a report ready.
Mr Cooper adjourned the case management conference until March 12.
The murder of Mrs Delios shocked the community and prompted an outpouring of grief.
She was working in her shop alone on July 23, 2016, when she was killed by Cook in the day time attack.
Two psychiatrists, one called by the defence and one called by the prosecution, agreed Cook was experiencing a psychotic episode in the leadup to and at the time of the killing.