Hope for closure on mum's murder
The brother of an autistic man who murdered their mother hopes a coronial inquest held today will be the end of the tragedy.
Adrian Mack spoke outside Perth Coroner’s Court this morning after a brief inquest was held into the death of his mother Ah Bee "Pauline" Mack.
Mr Mack’s 28-year-old brother, Brent Donald Mack, was sentenced in January to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years for murdering his mother, who disappeared in December 2008.
Her body has never been found.
Outside court this morning, Mr Mack said his mother’s death had been difficult but he hoped the inquest "would be the last of the matter".
"Obviously it’s quite hard to talk about," he said.
He said he did not know if his brother would ever reveal where his mother was buried.
"I think everyone has asked him to talk about it on a lot of occasions but it hasn’t been successful," he said.
Mr Mack said he wanted his mother to be remembered as a kind and good woman.
A brief coronial inquest was held this morning with Coroner Barry King indicating that he would declare that Mrs Mack was officially dead, in line with the findings of Supreme Court Justice John McKechnie who sentenced Brent Mack.
Mr King is expected to deliver his findings next week.
Justice McKechnie said Mack, who had a lengthy criminal record of dishonesty offences, was a "dishonest, devious individual" who lied to cover up his mother’s murder.
Mack was convicted of his mother’s murder after a trial by judge alone last year.
Justice McKechnie found Mack murdered his mother sometime in December 2009 to access her bank accounts and property.
He said Mack went to elaborate lengths, including forging his mother’s signature and fabricating a greeting card, to convince friends and relatives she was still alive.
Opening the inquest today, counsel assisting the coroner Sgt Lyle Housiaux said the inquest was held because the coroner had "reasonable cause to suspect Ah Bee Mack was dead and that her death was a reportable death".
