No excessive force, death inquest told

POLICE did not use excessive force minutes before Pasquale Giorgio died in custody at Broadbeach more than two years ago, an inquest has been told.

The 54-year-old homeless former opal dealer died on April 5, 2016 after he struggled with police when they arrested him for wilful exposure.

At the Southport District Court yesterday, the first day of the inquest into Giorgio’s death, Deputy State Coroner John Lock heard from two paramedics, a police investigator and a police officer.

In the lead up to the inquest Giorgio’s family questioned whether an opportunity had been missed to take him into custody for his mental health issues when questioned by Constable Glenn Engels a day before his death.

Yesterday Constable Engels, represented by Dave Garrett of Howden Saggers Lawyers, told the inquest he had no reason to take Giorgio into custody when he was found “making faces” at people at a McDonald’s restaurant in Surfers Paradise.

During questioning by the Counsel Assisting the Coroner Megan Jarvis, Constable Engels said Giorgo was not a risk to the safety of himself or others so there was no reason to arrest him.

“He was relatively intelligent, a little strange in general, it is not ordinary for an adult male to be pulling faces,” he said.

Paramedic Kate Scriven told the inquest some officers appeared on the verge of tears after Giorgio’s death the following day.

Detective Sergeant Sandra Pfeffer, of the Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command, told the inquest officers did not use excessive force.

It comes as pre-inquest documents reveal Giorgio struggled with police for three minutes after he exposed his genitalia to two officers who asked him what he had done to people at a nearby restaurant.

He was heard asking officers to “turn me over” and “get off me” when his arms were handcuffed behind his back and he was left on lying on his stomach after his arrest.

Officers pushed Giorgio into the back of a police van on his stomach but they soon noticed him foaming at the mouth as he was seated “semi-upright”.

Officers left him in place and wiped the froth from his face until a senior officer ordered that he be pulled from the van.

Giorgio was pronounced dead 20 minutes after paramedics arrived.

Forensic pathologist Dr Alex Olumbe found Mr Giorgio’s death was not due to a “single entity but a chain ... of events” including his pre-existing conditions, including morbid obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic paranoid schizophrenia, and consequences arising from being restrained on his stomach.

Giorgio’s arresting officers are expected to give evidence at the inquest today.