Josh Warneke: Coroner’s inquest to be held in September for 2012 Broome death

A coroner’s inquest into the tragic death of Broome man Josh Warneke is expected to held in September, but the dates won’t be confirmed until July. More than 14 years after he died on a lonely stretch of road, The West Australian can reveal the WA Coroner is expected to announce inquest dates soon into Mr Warneke’s death. It was anticipated those dates were to be announced at a Coroner’s Court “callover” hearing at the Central Law Courts on Friday. But at the 11th hour, it was decided to push back Mr Warneke’s matter onto the July callover court list. Mr Warneke’s mother Ingrid Bishop had planned to attend the court on Friday for the anticipated inquest dates. And although no official inquest dates have been announced just yet, it’s understood the inquest could be listed and set down for up to two weeks in September sometime. The development in the case comes a staggering 14 years and four months after Mr Warneke died. His body was found on the outskirts of Broome on February 26, 2010, after he spent a night out with friends and decided to walk home to the Roebuck Estate. Witnesses have previously told police they saw him at about 2.45am walking near the intersection of Old Broome Road and Short Street. A taxi driver found his body on the side of the road less than 10 minutes later. He had suffered a serious head injury. Indigenous man Gene Gibson was charged with Mr Warneke’s murder in 2012 – before eventually pleading guilty to manslaughter. Gibson was jailed for more than seven years and had served nearly five when WA’s highest court found the “integrity of the plea was impugned” and his conviction should be quashed. A scathing Corruption and Crime Commission investigation found the original police inquiry was botched by officers who failed to follow proper procedures. Police sent their investigation files to the State Coroner three years ago. Ms Bishop — who claims the original police inquiry into her son’s death was “unlawful” — had hoped a Coroner’s inquest into her son’s death would be swift. In an interview with The West in 2021 she said she was keen to have the Coroner “fast-track” her son’s case as a matter of urgency. “A public inquiry that examines every facet of the case is needed here,” she said at the time. “I’d like to see it fast-tracked. “We, the family are just wanting answers to questions that have gone unanswered for a decade. We want the truth.”