COP DEFIES VAX ORDER
TOWNSVILLE OFFICER TAKES ON COMMISSIONER IN COURT
TOWNSVILLE police officer Kevin Gehringer who led the investigation into a mysterious diving murder case is one of the key players fighting the Queensland Police over a vaccine mandate. Mr Gehringer is among seven people taking Commissioner Katarina Carroll to the Supreme Court challenging the Covid-19 vaccine directive, saying the decision removed their “fundamental” rights.
A POLICE officer who led the investigation into a mysterious diving murder case, before being suspended from the service for six years and cleared of wrongdoing, is one of the key players fighting the Queensland Police over a vaccine mandate.
Townsville cop Kevin Gehringer is among seven people taking Commissioner Katarina Carroll to the Supreme Court challenging the Covid-19 vaccine directive, saying the decision removed their “fundamental” rights.
Mr Gehringer, who is currently on leave, was a lead detective in the case against Gabe Watson, who was convicted for abandoning his wife, Tina Watson, during a fatal dive in 2003.
All QPS staff were ordered to get their first vaccination by October 4, or be suspended without pay if denied an exemption. Mr Gehringer has voiced his strong opinions on the mandate through his social media page.
“No police commissioner - I will not comply with a proposed direction to be injected with vaccine as it is unlawful and discriminatory,” one post reads.
Mr Gehringer, and staff challenging the vaccine mandate, were granted a reprieve from disciplinary action at court earlier this week.
More than 30 QPS staff out of 15,000 have so far been suspended for not complying.
Mr Gehringer has a long history with the police service, and played a pivotal role in the investigation against Watson.
Watson was on his honeymoon with wife, Tina Watson, when they went diving at SS Yongala, off the coast of Townsville, the day of the 26year-old bride’s death.
Mr Watson, a certified rescue diver, said his novice diver wife panicked underwater and sank 30m to the ocean floor. He claimed he was unable to bring her to the surface.
But during a coronial inquest, prosecutors suggested Watson turned off Tina’s air regulator, held her until she was unconscious, then turned the air back on and let her sink.
He was charged with murder in 2008, but plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2009 and spent more than a year in jail.
Mr Gehringer led the investigation, and had to give evidence at Mr Watson’s murder trial in the US, which was later dropped. But a few years later Mr Gehringer was suspended from the police, with full pay, while an investigation took place into an alleged internal breach.
After six years of suspension, he was found to have done nothing wrong.
The case against QPS will return to court next week.