21-05-2025
Coroner finds police could not have stopped man's poison death during Kyneton arrest
A coroner has found police could not have stopped a man from consuming a lethal substance while they were arresting him at his Kyneton home, north-west of Melbourne.
Phillip Reidy, 27, who was known to police and suffered from mental health issues, died at the property in July 2024.
An inquest has heard that at about 2:30pm on July 2, two police officers attended Mr Reidy's Windridge Way home to arrest him for criminal damage in relation to an alleged domestic violence incident earlier that day.
Within nine seconds of removing the handcuffs, and with the officers closely following him, Mr Reidy walked to a desk, picked up a white bottle and consumed the dangerous substance.
Soon after consuming the substance, Mr Reidy started to experience symptoms and collapsed to the kitchen floor.
He told the officers, "Tell my mum I love her."
When they asked what was happening, he responded "I'm dying".
The officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but Mr Reidy was pronounced dead a short time later.
Coroner Paul Lawrie found Mr Reidy intentionally used the poison to take his own life.
He said police acted appropriately when they permitted Mr Reidy's request to use the bathroom as they were putting handcuffs on him after they had placed him under arrest.
He said Mr Reidy moved "in a manner that was unthreatening and designed to mask his intent".
"He purposely moved his back to obscure what he was doing, and it took only a moment," Mr Lawrie said.
The court heard Mr Reidy's partner had told police that he was in possession of the poison, but the information was not passed on the two arresting officers.
The briefing officer attributed the mistake to being focused on the family violence issues, which the coroner accepted, adding it was an instance of "human fallibility".
"The importance of information is clear, nonetheless it is not possible to conclude [the officers] would have treated Mr Reidy in a materially different manner in their dealings with him between the front door and the moment he ingested the compound," the coroner said.
Mr Lawrie has called for a unified national framework for managing the supply of a restricted poison after hearing Mr Reidy had purchased the substance online.
He said Mr Reidy used false information to exploit a "scientific use" exemption to purchase the poison from a New South Wales company in mid-2023.
In NSW, the exemption allows the supply and use of the poison by a person in charge of an institution or facility for scientific research.
The court heard a declaration form completed by Mr Reidy using false details of a company called THX Network should have raised concerns.
"A quick internet search reveals THX Network to be a blockchain-based loyalty and rewards program, but the name has nothing to do with a scientific institution or organisation," Mr Lawrie said.
The exemption does not apply in Victoria, where the substance was delivered to.
"Even if the basis of the exemption he claimed had been true, [the company] was delivering the compound into a jurisdiction where the exemption did not operate," Mr Lawrie said as he called for a unified national approach to the regulation of schedule seven poisons.
A victim impact statement from Mr Reidy's mother, Sandra, was read to the court.
"Phillip was a caring person who found it difficult to express himself" she wrote.
Ms Reidy said her son was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, struggled in school, and suffered from several mental health conditions throughout his adult life.
"I wonder if his actions could have been prevented with better communication before his death.
"I hope that something can be learned from the experience ensure the wellbeing of others as they struggle to navigate their lives."
