Navy chief apologises for giving man who strangled ex funeral with full military honours

The chief of the Australian Navy has publicly apologised for giving a sailor who strangled and bashed his ex-girlfriend to death a taxpayer-funded funeral with full naval honours.

Sailor Elliott Coulson murdered Kate Malonyay, 32, in her Mosman apartment in April 2013, shortly after she had broken up with him.

An inquest into Ms Malonyay's death found evidence of blunt force being inflicted to her head - both the back and the left side of her face and some facial fractures, she died from asphyxiation.

After the 32-year-old's body was found friends of Ms Malonyay began receiving text messages from her phone claiming she was ok and was taking sick leave from her job.

Police traced the messages to a hotel in the Gold Coast and when they found Coulson he had barricaded himself inside a room.

Coulson jumped from the balcony and plunged 26 floors to his death in a bid to escape police.

Queensland Detective Sergeant Jonathan Birt said Coulson looked into his eyes as he was about to jump telling a coronial inquest: "He just had a deadpan look on his face, I tried to grab him and stop him, but it was too late basically."

One of Ms Malonyay's was in the police station (after her body had been found) when she received a text.

Massive controversy surrounded Coulson's funeral which was taxpayer-funded with full naval honours.

Friend Melissa Meredith told ABC documentary Hitting Home: “Those kinds of ceremonies are for heroes.

“This guy was not a hero.”

Lauren Sams, from Sydney, launched a Change.org petition calling for the navy to apologise for the decision and it gained 10,000 signatures.

Ms Sams wrote in her petition: “The Australian Navy needs to review their funeral policies, and ensure that this does not happen again,”

“Military funerals should be for the very best people in our society, not the worst.”

Now Vice Admirable Tim Barrett has now released an apology on behalf of the navy.

He said: “I was, and remain, appalled at the brutal and violent murder at the hands of Elliott Coulson and I utterly condemn the abuse and violence that ended in her tragic death.

“I acknowledge that the decision to support Elliott Coulson’s family with Navy participation in the funeral has caused distress to Ms Malonyay’s family, friends and the wider community.

“It was not the Navy’s intent to cause this distress and for this, I unreservedly apologise.”

Ms Sams took to Twitter to acknowledge the apology and said: "Thank you to the @Australian_Navy for apologising to Kate Malonyay's family. It's not everything, but it's a lot."