‘Complete, unmitigated disaster’: inquest into Veronica Nelson’s death urges overhaul of ‘discriminatory’ Victorian bail laws

Coroner refers prison health contractor to Director of Public Prosecutions over death in custody

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A Victorian coroner has declared the state’s controversial bail laws discriminatory and a “complete, unmitigated disaster”, using landmark findings into the 2020 death in custody of First Nations woman Veronica Nelson to recommend urgent reforms.

Coroner Simon McGregor on Monday handed down the highly anticipated findings into the death of Nelson, a Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman. He found Nelson received “cruel and degrading treatment” by prison staff at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre – the state’s maximum-security women’s prison – and that her death was preventable.

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