NEWS: SMH - 27/11/2006 'Brimble witness to tell of drug dealers'

Brimble witness to tell of drug dealers
November 27, 2006 - 3:30PM

A new witness will testify that seven of the men named as persons of interest in the cruise ship death of Dianne Brimble are involved in drug dealing, a NSW coroner has been told.

The witness, who will be known only as Mr White, will give evidence that the men do not work ``as they spend most of their time in clubs dealing drugs'', counsel assisting the coroner, Ron Hoenig, told Glebe Coroner's Court today.

"Mr White, I anticipate, will give evidence that he has, since he was a young person, lived in South Australia and has known Peter Pantic, Mark Wilhelm, Dragan Losic, Matthew Slade, Luigi Vitale, Leo Silvestri and Charlie Kambouris,'' Mr Hoenig said.

Mr Hoenig also told the inquest that Mr White would give evidence that he has seen the eighth person of interest, Ryan Kuchel, taking ecstasy at an Adelaide nightclub.


Geesche Jacobsen reports: Earlier, a forensic pathologist, who had estimated how much of the drug fantasy Ms Brimble took and when, told the inquest that some of his calculations "could not be safely relied upon".

Dr William Allender had figured that the Queensland mother of three took some gamma hydroxybutyrate , known as GHB, before 4am when she left the disco of the Pacific Sky on the day she died.

He had estimated that Mrs Brimble died between 5am and 6.30am on September 24, 2002.

Wrapping up his evidence to the court today he said if she had taken one dose she probably would have died about 30 to 45 minutes later.

He estimated that dose at between seven and 18 grams of GHB.

However, he also admitted that his calculations had not taken into account certain characteristics of the drug that have been reported in scientific literature.

The hearing was told that GHB occurs naturally in the body and levels can rise substantially after death.

A blood sample for analysis was not taken from Mrs Brimble until four days after she died.

The inquest continues.

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Brimble drug dose only an estimate, court hears
Monday, 27 November 2006. 14:47

A forensic scientist has admitted at the Sydney inquest into the death of Dianne Brimble that it is impossible to know exactly how much of the drug which killed the Brisbane woman was consumed.

Dr William Allender previously told the Glebe Coroner's Court he estimated Mrs Brimble took between seven and 18 grams of the drug GHB in the hours before she died.

Mrs Brimble was found dead on the Pacific Sky cruise ship in September of 2002 from an overdose of the drug, which is also known as fantasy.

Dr Allender had also previously said he estimated Mrs Brimble would of had to consume some of the drug in the ship's disco before returning to the cabin where she died.

But under cross-examination today by the barrister for P&O, Dr Allender admitted his calculations were just estimates and ball-park figures.


Meanwhile, the accommodation manager who was on board the P&O cruise ship has told the court she can recall few details of the trip.

Anne Elsden says she can remember being asked by the passenger services director to go into the cabin where Mrs Brimble was found dead so the four men who were staying there could retrieve their personal belongings.

But she told the inquest she cannot remember what the men took or being given any instructions to supervise them.

Ms Elsden also told the court she cannot remember organising new cabins for the men, although she admitted it was probably her job to do so.

The inquest continues.

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They're drug dealers, says old contact of Brimble seven
November 28, 2006

SEVEN of the eight men of interest in the death of Dianne Brimble have been accused of dealing in drugs, sometimes allegedly under the eyes of South Australian police.

One of the eight, Dragan Losic, is accused of offering young women drugs in exchange for sex, while two others allegedly had group sex with drug-affected women in cars, the inquest into the death of the Queensland mother of three has been told.

The evidence, to be given this week by an Adelaide witness known only as Mr White, was foreshadowed yesterday by counsel assisting, Ron Hoenig.

Ms Brimble, who died from toxic levels of the drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and alcohol aboard the cruise ship Pacific Sky in September 2002, was seen socialising with some of the men before she had sex with some of them in their cabin, where she was later found dead.

"Mr White, I anticipate, will give evidence that he has, since he was a young person, lived in South Australia and has known Peter Pantic, Mark Wilhelm, Dragan Losic, Matthew Slade, Luigi Vitale, Leo Silvestri and Charlie Kambouris," Mr Hoenig said.

He would tell the inquest the men do not work "as they spend most of their time in clubs dealing drugs". "Police would often frequent these locations," Mr Hoenig said when summarising the expected evidence.

One of the men also bragged about being protected by police and bikies.

"[Mr White] will give evidence that Matthew Slade has had protection from the [Gypsy] Jokers motorcycle club and police officers."

Mr White had also seen the eighth man, Ryan Kuchel, a Sydney real estate agent, take ecstasy in an Adelaide nightclub. Mr White is expected to tell the inquest that he had seen Mr Wilhelm and Mr Slade leaving clubs with girls affected by drugs.

"He would see Wilhelm and other persons take the girls out to the car park, he would see them go into a white Toyota Celica, and he would see the car rocking like they were having sex," Mr Hoenig said.

"[Mr White will say] Dragan Losic would often go up to girls and say he would give them drugs if they f---ked him," Mr Hoenig said, adding that the tablets were ecstasy and Mr Losic focused on girls aged 17 to 20.

But the deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge warned that Mr White's evidence was untested.

Earlier yesterday a forensic pathologist said in cross-examination that his calculations of the amount of drug Mrs Brimble had taken "could not be relied upon".

Dr William Allender had told the inquest two weeks ago Mrs Brimble probably died between 5am and 6.30am and that she had been given GHB between 3am and 4am. But yesterday he agreed there was no evidence for his conclusion she had been given more than one dose of the drug, and said she probably received the drug 30 to 45 minutes before death.

This calculation would support evidence Mrs Brimble was given the drug in the cabin by Mr Wilhelm after she left the ship's nightclub.

The inquest continues.

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Police owned 'drug-dealing' club, inquest told
November 30, 2006 04:29pm

FIVE police officers owned an Adelaide nightclub where some of the men of interest in the death of Brisbane woman Dianne Brimble dealt drugs, a witness has told an inquest.

The witness, codenamed Mr White, told the Sydney inquest into Mrs Brimble's death that he saw Matthew Slade and Dragan Losic sell or hand out drugs at several nightclubs in Adelaide, including the Soda Room.

Mr White said he was told by the manager of the Soda Room that the club was owned by police officers.

Mr White told Glebe Coroner's Court that Mr Slade had told him he had the police "in his hands" and also had the protection of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang.

Mr White, whose real identity has been suppressed, said Mr Slade, Mr Losic and other men of interest Mark Wilhelm and Petar Pantic regularly dealt in drugs in Adelaide.

Mrs Brimble died in 2002 on board the P&O's Pacific Sky cruise ship from a toxic combination of alcohol and the date rape drug fantasy.

Earlier, an expert witness told the inquest that Mrs Brimble was known to be strongly opposed to drugs and was unlikely to have willingly taken a date rape drug.

Dr Jean Edwards, a sexual assault expert, also said it would have been totally out of character for Mrs Brimble to have agreed to have sex with a man she had just met, have group sex or allow photographs to be taken of her having sex.

Dr Edwards said fantasy did not turn people into "sex machines" but simply made them more enthusiastic about activities they enjoyed.

The doctor said Mrs Brimble's family and friends had said she did not like sex.

Dr Edwards said Mrs Brimble appeared to be asleep in most of the explicit photographs of her having sex with Mr Wilhelm.

The inquest continues.

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The doctor said Mrs Brimble's family and friends had said she did not like sex.

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Splatt said:

This made me laugh out loud for some reason.

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Sydney Morning Herald said:

Brimble witness tells of drugs
December 1, 2006

HIS voice was distorted electronically, and he gave his evidence from a cell adjacent to the coroner's court with a screen shielding him from view.

And as soon as the eagerly anticipated witness, codenamed Charles White, started, the allegations came tumbling out.

For 75 minutes yesterday afternoon, Mr White linked some of the persons of interest in the death of Dianne Brimble to drugs, stolen stun guns, and the nightclub and bikie scenes of Adelaide, from 2001 to 2005.

He also alleged open drug dealing in the Soda Room nightclub, allegedly owned by five South Australian police officers.

Mr White claimed he also saw some of the men openly and freely distribute the drug gamma hydroxybutyrate, also known as fantasy. Mrs Brimble died of toxic levels of fantasy and alcohol on a cruise in September 2002.

But Mr White's broad-brush allegations were often vague and have yet to be tested.

He said he had known the men for about six years, but had seen Ryan Kuchel, Letterio Silvestri, Luigi Vitale, and Charlie Kambouris less frequently than the others.

Mark Wilhelm, Dragan Losic, Petar Pantic, and Matthew Slade had a circuit, attending Heaven nightclub on Thursdays and Saturdays, the Soda Room on Fridays, and St Paul's on Sundays, Mr White alleged.

He had bought drugs from them, had worked at nightclubs they attended, and been to recovery parties where he saw the men and their activities.

Mr Slade was openly dealing "ounces" of drugs and "thousands of tablets", including fantasy, ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine, methamphetamine, dexamphetamine and LSD from private homes and clubs with other men who Mr White called Matty Scatters and "Mr X".

He also allegedly claimed to have the Gypsy Jokers and police "in his hands" for protection.

Mr White had only seen Mr Losic distribute, not sell, drugs, he said. Mr Losic also frequently offered girls ecstasy in exchange for sex, but was allegedly beaten up once by members of the Sphinx motor cycle gang when he made the offer to "the wrong girl".

Mr Losic, Mr Slade and Mr Pantic were also involved in manufacturing ecstasy tablets, he said. Mr Slade and Mr Wilhelm had been seen talking to members of the Sphinx and Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gangs, he said. He had also seen them sell taser stun guns in 2003, when Mr Slade allegedly needed money because he was "in a bit of trouble".

Mr White's evidence continues today.

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Sydney Morning Herald said:

Brimble witness 'fears' SA police
December 1, 2006 - 6:16PM

A man who raised allegations of drug dealing and police corruption at the inquest into the death of Dianne Brimble says he fears South Australian police but has a "moral obligation" to come forward.

Amid tightened security, the mystery witness, known by the pseudonym Charles White, admitted some of the claims he made at the inquest into the 2002 cruise ship death of the Brisbane mother were based on second-hand information.

One of eight men of interest in Mrs Brimble's death, Petar Pantic, unexpectedly arrived to the Glebe Coroner's Court on Friday to hear Mr White's allegations against him first hand.

It was the final day of evidence for 2006, but the inquest is far from over, with Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge setting aside hearing dates for as late as September next year.

Mr White, who gave evidence from behind a screen with his voice distorted through a speaker phone, on Thursday said Dragan Losic, Matthew Slade, Mark Wilhelm and Mr Pantic dealt drugs four nights a week in several Adelaide nightclubs, including Soda Room.

He also said he saw some of the men of interest in the case handing out the date rape drug, fantasy, at a party months before they took the cruise on which Mrs Brimble died from an overdose of the drug.

But, under cross-examination on Friday by Mr Pantic's lawyer, Peter Hayes, QC, Mr White admitted he had never seen Mr Pantic take or sell drugs.

Mr White rejected Mr Hayes's claim his allegations were "fictional".

"He (Mr Pantic) was on drugs," he said.

Mr White said he had seen Mr Pantic with dilated pupils, "carrying on like a pork chop".

Mr White said he came forward with the claims out of "moral obligation".

But he could not confirm an allegation he made on Thursday that the Soda Room was owned by five SA police officers.

On Friday, under cross examination from Brenton Illingsworth, for SA Police Commissioner Mal Hyde, Mr White said he did not know who owned the Soda Room, admitting his claim about police was based on what one person had told him.

Mr Illingsworth also struck out at the media, labelling the coverage of Mr White's evidence as "sensationalist" and seeking more details about a NSW police interview with Mr White.

Ms Milledge said while she had noticed the sensationalist coverage, she had to consider the welfare of Mr White and his request for anonymity.

"Your client is part of the complaint that this witness has," she told Mr Illingsworth.

"He says he is fearful of South Australian police."

Mrs Brimble died on September 24, 2002, from a toxic combination of alcohol and fantasy, shortly after having sex with Mr Wilhelm in the cabin he shared with Mr Slade, Leo Silvestri and Ryan Kuchel, all named as people of interest.

The inquest into her death began in March this year and, while setting aside hearing dates in September next year, Ms Milledge defended the length of the inquest.

"This inquiry is far from having titanic proportions," she said.

"We are not sinking, we are buoyant, very buoyant."

The inquest will resume in February.

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Passengers to give evidence into Brimble's death
July 8, 2007 - 1:31PM

Evidence from two passengers on the cruise during which Dianne Brimble died of a drug and alcohol overdose will be heard when the inquest into the mother of three's death resumes tomorrow.

The 16-month-old inquest is due to resume at 10am (AEST) at Glebe Coroner's court and is expected to be completed by the end of the three-week sitting.

Acting NSW State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge will hear evidence from two passengers who were on the Pacific Sky when Mrs Brimble died aboard the P&O liner from a toxic combination of alcohol and the date-rape drug fantasy.

When the inquest last sat in February, Ms Milledge said if the case was to be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for trial, she would do so this month.

Mrs Brimble died in September 2002, a day after boarding the Pacific Sky for a Pacific cruise.

The 42-year-old Queensland mother of three's naked body was found on the floor of a cabin occupied by four of eight men named as persons of interest in her death - some of whom have given evidence at her inquest.

The inquest was earlier told two of the men of interest in the case may have murdered her.

Counsel assisting the inquest Ron Hoenig has told the court Mark Wilhelm and Leo Silvestri could have committed an act which constitutes murder.

Mr Hoenig also said another of the eight men of interest, Petar Pantic, could be considered an accessary.

Illicit drugs specialist Dr David Caldicott has told the court it was suspicious that Mr Wilhelm and Mr Silvestri had dressed Mrs Brimble before calling medical staff when she was unconscious on their cabin floor.

Mrs Brimble died after suffering cardio-respiratory arrest from a toxic combination of alcohol and the date-rape drug fantasy, shortly after having sex with Mr Wilhelm.

Mr Wilhelm is yet to appear at the inquest, but is likely to be called up, while several of the other eight men of interest are expected to be recalled.

Mr Silvestri appeared before the inquest last July.

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Secret Brimble phone taps aired
Lisa Davies
July 09, 2007 11:29am

THE Dianne Brimble inquest has resumed this morning with the news that dozens of phone calls between the persons of interest talking about their evidence will be played to the court.

Counsel assisting the inquest, Ron Hoenig, has told Glebe Coroners Court that intercepted telephone calls between the eight men implicated in the mother of three's death have been secured by police.

The 42-year-old woman died from a drug overdose on board P&O's Pacific Sky cruise ship in September 2002.

Senior Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge is examining the possibility that Mrs Brimble was given an overdose of the date rape drug Fantasy.

Mr Hoenig told the court "a considerable volume of material" would be placed before the inquest comprising a large number of intercepted conversations between the persons of interest.

"These conversations relate specifically to this inquest, what occurred on board, and (how) they are to give their evidence and describe Mrs Brimble and their view of her conduct on board," Mr Hoenig said.

"Many (of them) relate specifically to your honour's inquest and many of them relate to the press publicity of the inquest...(they are also) talking about how they should give their evidence and what they should say."

Mr Hoenig said the tapes would be played to the court some time in the sittings which are set down for the next three weeks, although they were not expected in this first week.

There are four persons on interest who have not yet given evidence and they are subpeoned to appear this time.

The eight persons of interest are Mark Wilhelm, Leo Silvestri, Dragan Losic, Petar Pantic, Matthew Slade, Luigi Vitale, Charlie Kambouris and Ryan Kuchel.

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Brimble men will not face drug charges
Geesche Jacobsen | July 10, 2007

POLICE in South Australia have abandoned plans to charge some of the eight men of interest in the death of Dianne Brimble with drug offences unrelated to her death aboard the P&O liner Pacific Sky, the NSW Coroner's Court heard last night.

Secretly recorded phone calls between some of them contained "drug talk", a discussion of the inquest, evidence they planned to give and what happened on the ship, the inquest heard.

The court has requested recordings of between 400 and 500 phones calls from police, and some or all of the material would be played in court, perhaps as early as next week.

Details of drug-related conversations had been the subject of a claim by South Australian police they should be withheld on "public interest" grounds, a lawyer for the NSW police commissioner, Michael Spartalis, told the inquest at a late hearing yesterday.

"What I gather [is] it was material that was the subject of discussion with South Australia in relation to possible charges to either one or two persons of interest," he said. But the claim was abandoned in a closed court hearing late last month.

Mrs Brimble died in September 2002 in the cabin of four of the eight men as a result of toxic levels of alcohol and the drug gamma hydroxybutyrate, or fantasy.

Counsel assisting the inquest, Ron Hoenig, told the court earlier in the day that media publicity of the inquest had generated a great deal of conversation between the men.

During one conversation, one of the men allegedly said: "Hello Strikeforce Willenhall." That is the name of the police investigation into Mrs Brimble's death.

Mr Hoenig said the Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge would have to decide "whether what they are saying in a large number of calls is a truthful account or whether what they are saying is because they reasonably suspected they were being overheard". The inquest started nearly 18 months ago. It is expected to continue taking evidence for three more weeks.

Yesterday Niels Wellensiek, a doctor who tried to resuscitate Mrs Brimble, said he recalled few details of the incident and took no medical notes at the time. One of the eight men, Luigi Vitale, may give evidence this week.

A passenger, Joanne Turner, told the inquest yesterday that on the first night of the cruise she saw three of the persons of interest mingling in a group. "There was an air of huge arrogance on their part," she said. Her husband, Nathan, said the next morning he saw one member of the group with scratches and a black eye.

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Trio expected to face charges
COLIN JAMES, LEGAL AFFAIRS EDITOR
July 25, 2007 02:15am

SEVERAL Adelaide men questioned over the death of Dianne Brimble today will be told they face prosecution, as an inquest is adjourned.

New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge is expected to announce criminal charges should be laid against at least three men questioned during an 18-month inquest into Mrs Brimble's death.

Ms Milledge will officially terminate the public inquiry into how Mrs Brimble, 42, died aboard the P&O Pacific Sky in September, 2002, from a lethal dose of alcohol and the designer drug fantasy.

On Friday, lawyers for eight Adelaide men of interest to the inquest received letters from the NSW State Coroner's Office to formally advise them the hearing would be held at 2pm.

The hearing will be conducted under Section 19 of the NSW Coroner's Act, which authorises a coroner to end an inquest when they believe there is sufficient evidence to convict a person of an indictable offence.

The legislation also enables a NSW Coroner to refer evidence gathered during an inquest to the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge people with criminal offences.

Legal sources said yesterday they believed the three men facing immediate prosecution over Mrs Brimble's death were likely to be Mark Wilhelm, Leo Silvestri and Petar Pantic.

Possible charges could range from manslaughter to illegally administering a controlled substance or drug of dependence.

Mr Wilhelm has admitted giving Mrs Brimble fantasy before having sex with her in a cabin he was sharing with Mr Silvestri, Mr Pantic and Matthew Slade.

They were on a 10-day Pacific cruise with four other Adelaide men - Dragan Losic, Luigi Vitale, Charlie Kambouris and Ryan Kuchel - when Mrs Brimble was invited back to their cabin.

Mr Pantic has denied taking photos of Mr Wilhelm and Mrs Brimble having sex before she passed out.

The inquest has heard nobody sought medical help for Mrs Brimble, who later died from cardio-respiratory arrest which forensic experts have blamed on the combination of alcohol and fantasy.

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