Inquest into the Death of Amy Lee WENSLEY

Contributing factors

• premature determination of non-suspicious death without proper investigation
• failure to call forensic field operations to uncontaminated scene
• scene contamination from multiple people entering before forensic examination
• body movement before photographs taken
• inadequate interviewing of detectives by uniformed officers
• lack of consultation with family and friends about relationship context
• scene cleaning by trauma cleaners after PFA lifted
• firearms not seized as forensic exhibits but as evidence for prosecution

Coroner's recommendations

1. WA Police should review training on police conduct reports and accountability, and consider lessons from this case regarding standard of supervision and accountability
2. Encourage WA Police to provide formal apology to family for manner in which death was investigated, including failure to call forensics and failure of internal processes to trigger early review
3. Recommend continued implementation of current procedural changes: mandatory consultation with Homicide Squad on all firearm deaths, involvement of Forensic Field Operations with Homicide Squad on suspicious deaths, lowered threshold for FFO callout, and 24/7 State Operation Command Centre supervision
4. Recommend continued family violence training for all police officers to recognize coercive and controlling behaviours beyond physical abuse
5. Encourage WA Police to foster better relationships and consultation between uniformed police and detectives through cultural change initiatives
6. Recommend improvements to victim support processes, including manner of handling personal effects of deceased