Abuse claim on Tiahleigh

MURDERED schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer was likely sexually abused by her foster dad killer, an inquest has been told.

Rick Thorburn – jailed for life in 2018 for murdering Tiahleigh – stunned the inquest on Tuesday when he tearfully claimed he may have accidentally smothered the 12-yearold in October 2015 during an argument.

As the inquest wrapped up on Wednesday, counsel assisting the coroner Kate McMahon explosively told the court it could be inferred that Thorburn sexually abused Tiahleigh and her murder could have been to cover up not only his son Trent’s actions, but his own.

The foster father was not in court as he was blasted as “remorseless” and “self-serving”.

“That is an inference available on circumstantial evidence,” Ms McMahon said.

She said Thorburn had not denied he may have had sexual contact with the girl and he had previous convictions for child sex offences.

Rick Thorburn claimed Tiahleigh had packed a bag and was leaving down the driveway when she began screaming and swearing at him.

He said he grabbed her around the waist and put his hand over her mouth as he dragged her back to the house.

He said by the time he arrived on the veranda, she was not responding.

Ms McMahon told the court it could be inferred Tiahleigh died of asphyxiation, either suffocation or strangling, between 7-10pm on October 29, 2015.

Ms McMahon said a recorded prison phone call between Thorburn and his wife suggested a deliberate plan to claim a lack of memory in order to frustrate the inquest.

Thorburn’s defence barrister Matthew Hickey said the court had no reason to doubt the truthfulness of his client’s memory loss. He called the claims of evidence about his client’s sexual abuse circumstantial and arising from hearsay.

He argued his client was remorseful as he had shown genuine sorrow when he took the witness stand.

“There’s no evidence to suggest Tiahleigh was strangled … the only evidence is that she was smothered,” Mr Hickey said.

Detective Inspector Chris Knight, who was the operations leader in the homicide investigation, told the court on Tuesday he had trouble accepting Thorburn’s confession.

He said the attempt to leave did not add up with the girl’s past history, as he was not aware of any instances where she attempted to leave home.

Inspector Knight said he believed Tiahleigh’s body was stored in the back shed of the Thorburn’s property and was moved after she was reported missing on October 30.

Tiahleigh’s body was found on the banks of the Pimpama River. Her body was so badly decomposed a cause of death could not be determined.

She was last seen alive on October 29, 2015 attending a dance class where she complained of stomach pains. That same night, Trent told his mother Julene he’d had sex with Tiahleigh and was concerned she was pregnant.

Each of the Thorburns have received jail terms relating to Tiahleigh’s death.

Trent was jailed for four years for having sex with Tiahleigh but paroled in 2018 after 16 months behind bars.

Julene was sentenced to 18months’ jail for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice, with the sentence suspended after six months.

Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley is expected to deliver her findings in coming weeks.