Tara Brown died after her ex-boyfriend drove her off the road. Photo / Supplied
Tara Brown died after her ex-boyfriend drove her off the road. Photo / Supplied
Last week Tara Brown went to police for help because her former partner was sending threatening text messages. This week she died after a brutal road-rage attack and her ex is facing murder charges in Queensland.
Ms Brown walked into her local police station eight days ago and asked for advice. The 24-year-old had broken up with her childhood sweetheart, Lionel Patea, and it appears he was not taking it well.
Texts from the former Bandidos gang member prompted her to seek safety advice from police. They turned her away. Five days later the Kiwi mother of one was dead, allegedly murdered by the man she was seeking protection from.
The Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command is now investigating "the appropriateness of the police response" as Ms Brown's devastated family plan her funeral.
It is alleged that on Tuesday Patea parked outside a daycare centre on the Gold Coast and waited for Ms Brown to drop their daughter off. He then followed her.
Police say he rammed her car off the road and while she was trapped in the wreckage down an embankment he attacked her.
He used a cast-iron metal plate that had come loose from a footpath hydrant, Detective Inspector Brian Swan said, and hit her around the head until she was unrecognisable.
Bystanders described Patea as bloody and dazed. He allegedly stole a car and took off.
Ms Brown was rushed to hospital and put on life support. Her family, including some from New Zealand, raced to her bedside. Hours later Patea was taken to the same hospital. He had walked into the Coomera police station with self-inflicted stab wounds to his chest and abdomen.
Tara Brown with her ex-partner Lionel Patea.
Within hours Ms Brown had died and Patea had been charged with murder and a special bedside court hearing was held at the hospital. He remains there under police guard as Ms Brown's family plan her funeral.
The Southport Magistrates Court has confirmed Patea will appear on October 28 charged with murder, contravening a domestic violence order, dangerous operation of a vehicle and two charges of attempted unlawful use of a vehicle.
Mr Swan said the attack on Ms Brown was so brutal that it shocked even the most senior detectives.
"At first police thought a paver or brick was used in the alleged attack on the woman but it was a cast-iron metal plate that had come loose from a footpath hydrant," he told Brisbane's Courier-Mail.
Patea is a former Bandidos gang sergeant-at-arms. According to Facebook, he is from Whanganui but is understood to have been living in Australia for some time and attended high school on the Gold Coast, where he met Ms Brown.
In 2013 Patea was believed to have played a key role in a huge bikie brawl outside a Gold Coast nightclub. Australian media reported that afterwards he left the gang and surrendered his patched jacket to police to prove it.
His brother Nelson Patea is also associated with the gang.
On Ms Brown's Instagram account there are photos of the couple looking happy with their daughter in Sydney last month. They also spent time in New Zealand in August: video shows them with relatives of Patea.
Friends of Ms Brown told the Gold Coast Bulletin they were not sure when her relationship with Patea ended. He had indicated he was hopeful about a reconciliation with her.
A friend of Ms Brown, who had been living apart from Patea and keeping her address from him, described her as "a strong and intelligent woman" who was adamant about ending the relationship. "This [breakup] was a long time coming."
Ms Brown's family paid tribute to her on social media. A relative wrote: "My heart [is] heavy and filled with anger, words can't express the pain."
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger call 111. For information on family violence, what it is and where to get help:
• Your local police station • Women's Refuge 0800 REFUGE (733 843) • Shine 0508 744 633 • Family Violence Information Line (0800 456 450) • Relationship Services 0800 RELATE (0800 735 283)
Roadside vigil
Mourners have gathered at the site where Ms Brown was run off the road.
Stan Walker: "We cannot let this happen ever again."
Yesterday Walker, a New Zealander who has lived on the Gold Coast for many years, posted a message about her death on Instagram.
"Take a look at this beautiful young mother. She died last night fighting for her life in hospital ... This is the result of domestic violence.
"This breaks my heart man ... I can't stand this crap. We cannot let this happen ever again. Stand up against domestic violence. Lord, I just pray for absolute peace for her whanau right now."
Since Walker's tweet, other prominent New Zealanders have voiced their support.
Sports personality Phil Kingsley-Jones said the murder was "absolutely horrific".
"To think it's our own people across the world doing this, it's totally unacceptable ... You want to reach out to people and tell them it's not acceptable to beat your partner."
Former All White Harry Ngata said: "Absolutely tragic, and yet another horrific example of why as men we need to get our act together and stop this abuse."
Labour police spokesman Kelvin Davis said Brown's death was totally avoidable.
"It occurred simply because a man chose to be violent," he said. "We need to teach our sons, our brothers, our nephews, our mates, our fathers, our uncles and total strangers to love and respect the women in our lives."
Said Auckland Mayor Len Brown: "Violence against women is unacceptable, and as a man I want to play my part in ending this violence."
White Ribbon campaign manager Rob McCann said it meant a lot for well-known personalities to speak up.
"The reality is that we all look up to some people as heroes and they influence our behaviour," he said. "So having people we know demonstrate the values that we should be living is really, really helpful."
The White Ribbon Campaign is a global movement to end male violence against women and girls.
A fundraising page set up to help Ms Brown's daughter had more than $15,000 yesterday.
"We all have seen or heard in some way about the tragic event that has taken place with our beautiful Tara and the effects this has had on her baby girl and extended family is heartbreaking," organiser Shelly Martin wrote. "It would be greatly appreciated if we could all pull together and help raise as much as we can ... Continue praying for Tara, her daughter needs her mummy and her family need her."
Ms Brown was described as "a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart" and a "free spirit with a smile that lights up the room".
Last year, Edward Livingstone killed his children Bradley, 9, and Ellen, 6, at their Dunedin home. Dunedin police said the children's mother, Katherine Webb, had previously disclosed that Livingstone had raped her for five hours while her daughter banged on the door.
In 2009, David White's daughter Helen Meads was murdered by her husband Greg at their Matamata farm. Yesterday, Mr White told the Herald: "Men in her circle of acquaintances knew what was going on and have done nothing. The greatest sin we all have is that we are not quick enough to step up, make a comment or offer support."
