'Cool off': mum turned away before murder, inquest told

Days before she was murdered, Kelly Wilkinson was turned away when she sought help from police and asked to "cool off", a coroner has been told.

An inquest into the mother-of-three's April 20 2021 death was abruptly adjourned on Thursday to investigate the Wilkinson family lawyer's sensational new claim.

In a last-minute submission, counsel assisting the family Mitch Rawlings said Queensland Police's claim that April 12, 2021 was their last contact with Ms Wilkinson may be incorrect.

Mr Rawlings said he had been told by the family Ms Wilkinson had last visited a Gold Coast police station on April 16 but was turned away and told to give her husband a break.

Four days later the 27-year-old was doused in petrol and burned alive by her estranged husband Brian Earl Johnston at her Gold Coast home.

"One of Kelly's sisters drove her to Southport police station, where she remained with the car while Kelly got out of the car with some documents," Mr Rawlings told Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher.

"She returned to the car and complained that the person at the front desk turned her away saying words to the effect of ... 'just cool off. Give Brian a break'."

The bombshell allegation was made as Mr Rawlings applied to adjourn proceedings to hear the additional evidence, which Ms Gallagher granted.

The inquest on the Gold Coast that probed events leading up to Ms Wilkinson's death had this week heard evidence police missed crucial opportunities to protect her.

Johnston had been incorrectly released on bail nine days before the murder after being charged with four counts of sexually assaulting his wife.

Police also failed by incorrectly filing Ms Wilkinson's complaint about Johnston allegedly breaching a protection order, which made it much harder for other officers to find details about her case.

Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher, the officer in charge of the Gold Coast Vulnerable Persons Group, earlier conceded police had missed opportunities.

"Overall it appears they followed procedures that were outlined for them to do but there were areas they could improve on as well," he told Southport Coroners Court.

Officers were first made aware of Ms Wilkinson's complaints about domestic violence 23 days before her murder and later visited her home to organise for her to make a statement.

Mr Rawlings' last minute claim came after her heartbroken family wept openly as they gave an emotional victim impact statement on Thursday.

Ms Wilkinson's sister Danielle Carroll said her sister had so much life left to live.

"This was her only dream - she was a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother," Ms Carroll said.

"She was home for her three children, a safe space; she loved them unconditionally."

The children now live with Ms Carroll and her family, but it can never be the life they would have shared with their mother.

"All that Kelly wanted from life was to love and be loved - there are no words for the way she suffered in her last moments.

"There will never be any words to pass on to her children to make them feel OK."

The ripple effect of the tragedy has been "immeasurable" with the family surviving minute by minute, hour by hour, she said.

"Losing someone to such a horrific murder is a different beast, it is unforgiving.

"For every milestone and achievement of her children, I stand with them and celebrate, but it should be her."

Just after 3am on April 20, 2021, Johnston went to a petrol station where he filled a 20-litre jerry can with fuel.Dressed in black clothes and a black face mask, Johnston then turned up at Ms Wilkinson's home, breaching his temporary protection order.

He attacked his wife, stabbing her repeatedly before dousing her with petrol and burning her alive.

Johnston pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life behind bars.

The inquest - initially set to end on Thursday - has been adjourned to a later date following the latest allegation.

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