Daily Reporting: Jeffrey Winmar inquest, Day 5, April 7th, 2026

Disclaimer: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers please be advised this article mentions the name of an Aboriginal person who has died in custody. This article also mentions acts of violence. Accounts and names have been published with permission given to the author from the family.

Day 5 – 7th April

After the Easter long weekend, the coronial inquest into the death of 28-year-old Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar resumes for its fifth day of session. Today Senior Constable Alex Bressanutti and First Constable Alec Beck are called to give evidence on their involvement in Jeffrey’s arrest. The Coroner grants both officers a s57 certificate to protect them against self-incrimination.

Bressanutti gives evidence that he was involved in the planning of Jeffrey’s arrest on 9th November 2023, and that he was one of two officers who approached the front door of the house where Jeffrey was located. 

We hear that two months before Jeffrey’s death, Bressanutti was investigating Jeffrey in relation to a stolen vehicle incident, and had collated a range of police material to identify Jeffrey’s location. We learn that Bressanutti and First Constable Danyi had the most knowledge about Jeffrey before the arrest:

Counsel Assisting: … so it’s true to say that yourself and First Constable Danyi had the greatest knowledge at that point in time in relation to Jeffrey?

Bressanutti: Yes, that’s correct

Bressanutti is questioned about his understanding of the role of the canine dog squad in the arrest plan. He gives evidence that the canine dog squad was included as a “failsafe” plan, in the instance that Jeffrey “escape[d] the cordon”. When asked if the canine dog was intended to play a role in the arrest of Jeffrey, Bressanutti replies:

“As far as I’m aware I can’t recall if that was set, but in my mind no. It wasn’t. The canine was a contingency and it wasn’t, he wasn’t there for the arrest, it was myself and my colleagues there for the arrest.” 

We learn that the body-worn camera footage from the canine handler depicts Bressanutti at the front door of the house where Jeffrey is located.
The transcript of this footage depicts Bressanutti saying:
“’Police. Police, open up. Police, come to the door….Police, come to the door. Jeffrey, open the door or we’ll have to force entry”…”Jeffrey. Jeffrey, it’s the police, come out mate, the whole place is surrounded. If you don’t come out we’re gonna force the door anyway.”

Counsel Assisting: Do you recall saying those words

Bressanutti: If that’s what’s on this transcript, then that’s what’s said. 

During his evidence, Bressanutti is informed by Mr Nathwani, the Counsel acting on behalf of Jeffrey’s Father, that Jeffrey had previously handed himself in to the police.

Mr Nathwani: Is that information that would be relevant to you in detailing or thinking about how, when you’ve got an Aboriginal man, and then secondly that you’ve got information that he’s surrendered himself with his mother on a prior occasion, would that be of interest to you as a police officer trying to get him to surrender to you?

Bressanutti: Not in that circumstance. 

Bressanutti is asked if he considered what role an Aboriginal Liaison Officer could have played in relation to devising an arrest plan for Jeffrey. 

Ms Wong: So you didn’t consider that an ACLO might be able to assist in reaching out to members of the community to find out the reasons why Jeffrey might be avoiding an arrest?

Bressanutti: No. 

Ms Wong: And you didn’t consider that an ACLO might assist in reaching out to members of the community who could talk to Jeffrey about potentially handing himself in?

Bressanutti: No. 

 ***

After the lunch break, First Constable Beck is called as a witness. We learn that Beck was positioned at the back door of the house where police first tried to arrest Jeffrey.

In line with evidence already given by multiple VicPol officers in this inquest, Beck confirms that Jeffrey’s Aboriginality was not considered as an impacting factor in the planning of the arrest.

Counsel Assisting: Him being Aboriginal, was there discussion as to how that was going to feed into the planning of the operation?

Beck: Not that I can recall exactly, no.

Beck gives evidence that the briefing to coordinate the arrest of Jeffrey only took “maybe 10 minutes”.

Ms Wong, Counsel acting on behalf of Jeffrey’s Mum, questions Beck on how little he knew about Jeffrey before taking part in his arrest:

Ms Wong: Is it correct that during the briefing, you weren’t advised that Jeffrey had these flags about mental health on his profile?

Beck: Not that I can recall.

Ms Wong: Would you agree that knowing things personal about a person helps the police respond better in an arrest situation?

Beck: Yes

Ms Wong: You’d agree that you knew almost nothing about Jeffrey personally when you attended [the address where Jeffrey was believed to be located]?

Beck: Correct. Ah, yes.

Ms Wong further questions Beck on different ways in which Jeffrey’s Aboriginality may have been relevant to planning his arrest, including for example, that an Aboriginal person may be more fearful of police and shape how they respond in the moment.

Ms Wong: Would you accept therefore that it is very important when planning an arrest with an Aboriginal person for police to be aware of their Aboriginality?

Beck: Yes.

Ms Wong: Would you agree that that was something that was missing from your briefing on this day?

Beck: No.

***

This afternoon, interested parties debate an application submitted on behalf of the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police which seeks to alter the way in which Sergeant Sullivan, the Commander in charge of Jeffrey’s arrest, will be called to give his evidence in this inquest. 

This application seeks to prevent Jeffrey’s family from directly questioning Sgt Sullivan, and instead, seeks to have the interested parties submit their questions to Counsel Assisting. Additionally, this application seeks to excuse Sullivan from reviewing the body-worn and drone footage, and photographs from Jeffrey’s arrest.

We learn that this application is based on a 1.5 page report from Sullivan’s psychiatrist, which states that he has PTSD related to Jeffrey’s death. This report also states that Sullivan is not at risk of self-harm.

Mr Nathwani, Counsel Acting on behalf of Jeffrey’s father Jeffrey Anderson, submits that his client strongly opposes this application. Mr Nathwani tells the court that Jeffrey’s father feels as though the court is prioritising the police’s needs and the impact on the police, while only giving lip service to the rights of Jeffrey’s family. 

Mr Nathwani: It’s my client’s feeling that this court is prioritising the police’s needs and the impact on them over the impact of him and his family. An example he raises is ordinarily in an inquest into the death of Aboriginal people who unfortunately die in police custody, images of the deceased such as Jeffrey are put at the front of court. It was completely aghast to them that the two pictures of his son that were put there were put down, and we believe on the understanding, to protect witnesses from having to view pictures of Jeffrey. The only witnesses giving evidence are Victoria Police officers. He also has stated that he would prefer if counsel assisting Ms Ellyard did not ask the questions because all he is saying is that she is – and I’m saying this on instruction – one-sided. 

Ms Wong, Counsel Acting on behalf of Jeffrey’s mother, Ursulla Winmar tells the court this afternoon that they believe this application seeks to protect the police at the expense of Jeffrey’s family.

Ms Wong: Whilst it will no doubt be stressful and difficult for Sergeant Sullivan to give evidence, no words can adequately describe the distress that my client, Jeffrey’s mother feels in response to this application. She has already suffered the greatest loss, the loss of a child. And now there is an application that she further lose rights as an interested party in the inquest. It’s unfathomable to her. 

Ms Wong goes on to argue that if successful, this application will further perpetuate the dispossession and trauma experienced by Aboriginal people in the justice system. 

We learn that Jeffrey Anderson and Uruslla Winmar have both instructed their Counsels that they will refuse to participate if this application is successful, and that they will not provide questions to Counsel Assisting to put to Sgt Sullivan. 

The Coroner will decide on this application tomorrow. 

The inquest into the death in custody of Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar will run from 30 March until 10 April. 

Please join us in supporting his family by attending the Victorian Coroner’s Court at 10am each day.