NCA bomber threatened to 'cough blood' onto doctors, coroner says
National Crime Authority (NCA) bomber Domenic Perre threatened to "cough blood" onto doctors and refused medical care in the lead up to his death in custody, a coroner has found.
Perre died in 2023, less than a year into his life sentence for the 1994 mail bombing of the NCA's Adelaide headquarters.
The explosion killed Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen, who the court heard was targeted for investigating Perre's drug trade links, and injured lawyer Peter Wallis.
Perre was found guilty of murder and attempted murder in 2022 while already jailed for other crimes.
Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen died in the bombing. (Supplied)
Perre refused food, spat out medications
On Friday, SA State Coroner Naomi Kereru handed down the findings of her inquest, mandatory for any death in custody.
She said a post-mortem examination found Perre, 66, died of complications related to lung disease among other known health issues including heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Some of his health issues arose because of "a frequent refusal to eat and take medications", according to the findings.
"Mr Perre explained to staff that he wished to make things difficult for them,"
the coroner said.
"Many notices of concern and incident reports were recorded … however there was little that could be done in light of Mr Perre's near total lack of cooperation."
He was admitted to Royal Adelaide Hospital in April 2023 with pneumonia and died there the following month.
Domenic Perre was convicted of Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen's murder nearly 30 years after the bombing. (ABC News)
State Coroner Kereru said at the hospital, Perre "made threats to cough blood onto prison and health staff" but despite the threats "staff continued to provide care to him".
She said Perre's family "raised concerns" about his diet and "the healthcare provided to him" but she concluded that the prisoner was "treated appropriately at all times".
"I am satisfied that Mr Perre’s refusal to eat was as a result of his choice to obstinate and not as a result of any deficiency in the actual food itself, which was provided with the modifications required for his conditions," she said.
"His refusal to permit blood glucose monitoring, his spitting out of prescribed medication, and his deliberate interference with the proper administration of medications meant that it was not possible to keep him well."
The State Coroner made no further recommendations as part of the inquest.
Debris from the 1994 National Crime Authority blast on Waymouth Street in Adelaide. (Supplied: Courts Administration Authority)
Perre was first charged for killing Mr Bowen shortly after the bombing, but prosecutors withdrew the case on lack of evidence.
Police charged him again in 2018 and Perre was later found guilty after a seven-month trial.
Upon his conviction in 2022, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the persistent efforts of investigators sent "a message to anyone out there who thinks he can get away with a crime".
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