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WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch has ordered a review into the police handling of Virginia Giuffre’s case.
The disclosure came during a parliamentary estimates hearing on Tuesday, when Liberal MP Steven Martin asked Blanch whether police had responded appropriately to Giuffre’s requests for help in the months before she died by suicide, in April 2025.
In May, this masthead revealed the child-sex trafficking survivor’s family had requested both a public coronial inquest and an internal police review, arguing the 41-year-old repeatedly sought help in relation to domestic violence.
The family also raised concerns she may have been misidentified as a perpetrator, rather than a victim, of family violence.
Blanch told the hearing he could not provide assurances that police had properly responded to Giuffre’s requests for help.
“I have called for a review to answer the question you’ve just asked,” Blanch told the hearing.
“We respond to over 100,000 family violence incidents every year, so I’d love to give assurance on every single one, but I can’t, but that one will be subject to a review.”
Blanch said he requested the internal review in May, shortly after Giuffre’s brothers, Sky Roberts and Danny Wilson, wrote to the commissioner requesting a formal review into police decision-making, including family violence risk assessments and the handling of domestic violence complaints made by their sister.
Blanch noted the matter was also before the Coroner’s Court and could be examined by the Ombudsman.
“The coroner can also choose to do an investigation, as could the Ombudsman, which I believe has also been written to,” he said.
The family’s calls for an inquest were supported by 16 leading domestic violence researchers and practitioners from around Australia, who urged state coroner Ros Fogliani to hold a public inquest into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The Coroner’s Court of Western Australia told this masthead no decision has yet been made on whether the matter will proceed to a public inquest.
Carla Hildebrandt is a journalist with WAtoday. She previously worked on ABC’s Four Corners and as a court reporter at The Daily Telegraph in Sydney. For secure contact: carlahildebrandt@proton.me.Connect via email.From our partners
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