Rosie Batty tells inquest fatal flaws failed son Luke, slain by his father

ROSIE Batty called police asking them to apprehend the man who would go on to kill her son, Luke - but nothing happened, even though there was a warrant out for his arrest. 
 
The explosive revelation emerged at the Coroners Court on Monday.

Ms Batty said officers later told her that a “gap” in the police database was to blame.

“They said there was no record (of the warrant).

“They dismissed me, like I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Ms Batty said.

Luke Batty was killed by his father, Greg Anderson, on a cricket oval. Picture: Jason Sammon

 

Ten months later, Greg Anderson breached an intervention order by attending his son’s cricket training, and murdered him.

Ms Batty said that despite that intervention order, she decided against phoning 000 because previous dealings with police had been “traumatic, stressful and unpredictable”.

“I’d had some really unpleasant situations involving the police at the oval,” she said.

“I didn’t trust the situation ... I looked at Luke and thought, this is going to be the third time I’ve tried to have this man arrested in front of Luke and his friends at that bloody oval.”

Greg Anderson and son Luke Batty as a toddler.

 

Anderson had been playing with Luke at the cricket oval in the town of Tyabb in February when he suddenly attacked and killed him. Police then arrived and shot Anderson dead.

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The court heard Luke would have felt no pain after the initial blow.

Anderson, 54, ran at witnesses who tried to approach to help Luke, telling them: “He’s in heaven now.”

Rosie Batty and ex-husband Greg Anderson with their son Luke aged three to four months old.

 

Ms Batty said that a week before the murder she had given police Anderson’s address, after they asked her for help in locating him.

He was wanted on outstanding warrants and she presumed he had been arrested.

Ms Batty had also phoned her local police in April last year to report Anderson after he had turned up at football training to watch Luke.

An intervention order was in place to protect Luke, after his dad threatened him with a knife, telling him “this could be the one to end it all”. Anderson did not attend court for the hearing that banned all contact with his son.

Rosie Batty outside the Coroner’s Court for the inquest into son Luke’s death on Monday. Picture: Jason Sammon

 

When Ms Batty saw him at football training she phoned police but nothing was done.

She said police told her there was a “gap” in the system and they hadn’t seen the warrant for Anderson’s arrest.

The Herald Sun revealed in February that police failed to act despite multiple outstanding arrest warrants for Anderson when Luke was killed.

Bail documents showed that on one occasion a police prosecutor didn’t oppose Anderson’s bail application, despite the investigating officer clearly stating he opposed bail. Anderson walked from court.

Ms Batty told the inquest she had never meant to put Luke in danger.

“There was never any doubt in my mind that I should set aside animosity between Greg and me for what I believed was the best interests of Luke,” Ms Batty said.

“When people would say to me ‘Do you think it’s a good idea for Luke to know his dad?’ I would be very clear and certain he gained more from knowing his dad than not. He always wanted to see his dad.

“As Luke got older, as Greg’s situation declined, it was just a constant test. not knowing what the right thing to do was. I thought I was making the right decision.”

Ms Batty said Luke had never been frightened of his father and his father had never been violent to him.

“He was everything. I made every decision for him. Now I think I’m still trying to do it, but I can’t get him back,” she said.

“I never want anyone to be sitting where I’m sitting.”

Police and the Government on Monday refused to comment on the inquest.

Jess Jackson, for Police Minister Kim Wells, said: “As this is a matter subject to a coronial inquest it is inappropriate to comment”.

In March, the Government announced a $2.5 million program to streamline arrest warrant processes, which began in April.

Victoria Police also refused to discuss its internal inquiry.

Legal advice to the Herald Sun is that nothing stops officials commenting on the tragedy and system failures.

news.com.au 

The legal system in Australia is a joke at the expense of the general populous.

The police are a corporation and DO NOT work for the people but rather the corporation conglomerate commonly known as the government.

As long as the police are able to issue 'fines' that's all the corporation conglomerate is interested in.