A coronial inquest is examining whether police missed crucial opportunities to protect a young mother who repeatedly sought help before she was brutally murdered by her estranged husband.

Kelly Wilkinson, 27, a mother of three from Australia’s Gold Coast, was killed at her home in Arundel on April 20, 2021. Her estranged husband, Brian Earl Johnston, later pleaded guilty to her murder in 2024 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Now, more than three years after her death, a coronial inquest at Southport Coroners Court is reviewing how authorities handled Wilkinson’s reports of domestic violence and whether different actions by police could have prevented the killing.

According to evidence presented during the hearing, Wilkinson contacted police several times in the weeks leading up to her death, reporting concerns about Johnston and alleged breaches of a protection order that had been issued against him.

One piece of evidence revealed during the inquest has sparked particular concern.

A note recorded in a police database suggested that Wilkinson appeared to be “cop shopping to get the outcome she wants,” a phrase used to describe someone who repeatedly contacts different officers in search of a favorable response.

Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher told the court the remark was “wildly inappropriate,” according to reports from ABC News.

The comment was written after Wilkinson approached police seeking help regarding Johnston’s alleged violations of a domestic violence protection order.

The inquest heard that Wilkinson had been assessed as a high-risk domestic violence victim prior to the fatal attack.

At the time of the killing, Johnston was already subject to a domestic violence order intended to protect Wilkinson. He had also been charged with sexually assaulting her.

Despite the seriousness of the allegation, the court heard Johnston was granted police bail.

Under Queensland’s bail laws, the charge should have required him to appear before a magistrate rather than being released by police, according to evidence presented during the inquest.

The decision has become a central focus of the inquiry as investigators examine whether procedural mistakes may have allowed Johnston to remain free in the weeks before the attack.

Wilkinson’s killing was described in court as particularly brutal.

Authorities said Johnston attacked her at her home, stabbing her before dousing her with petrol and setting her on fire.

Emergency responders were unable to save her.

The shocking crime devastated Wilkinson’s family and community, leaving three young children without their mother.

The coronial inquest is now working to piece together the timeline of Wilkinson’s interactions with law enforcement in the lead-up to her death, examining police reports, call records and internal notes.

Officials are also looking closely at how domestic violence complaints are handled by officers, including training procedures, risk assessments and how breaches of protection orders are investigated.

Cases like Wilkinson’s have become part of a broader national conversation in Australia about how institutions respond to domestic violence and whether systemic failures sometimes allow warning signs to be overlooked.

The inquest is expected to determine whether changes to police procedures, policies or training are needed to better protect victims in the future.