Home
About MAKO
Services
Contact
Prevention
MAKO/Files
Community Notification
Report
Referral
Profile's
Facts/ Stats
Online Dangers
Child Safety
MAKO Petitions
Research/ Resources
Books
DNA Info
Safety For Women
News/ Articles
Your Comments
Australian Politicians/ Contacts
Join
Sponsors
Donations
Links
A MOTHER has told of her relief at a significant development more than five years after the mysterious death of her teenage daughter. Jacqueline Shadforth's daughter Angela Mealing, 17, disappeared in April 2000 after apparently accepting a lift from an off-duty police officer on the outskirts of Cairns. Police yesterday arrested the former officer, Adrian Deemal, and charged him with perjury relating to the death. Ms Shadforth said she felt overwhelmed when The Sunday Mail informed her of the development, which followed her public campaign to keep the case alive. "It's been so long. I've been fighting and fighting," she said. Ms Mealing's remains were found six months after her disappearance, on the banks of Behana Creek, about 30km south of Cairns. The case became one of the state's most baffling mysteries. A noose was found hanging in a tree near Ms Mealing's remains and a note had been carved in a tree saying: "I'm sorry mum be strong not your fault". Her family refused to believe she committed suicide and police initially cautioned that the scene could have been staged. On the night of her disappearance, Ms Mealing had been assaulted by three girls at a party and later by a male youth. She was walking toward her home in a distressed state on the outskirts of the city when Deemal, a constable, said he picked her up. Deemal later told investigators he dropped her off at her request at Gordonvale, 25km south of Cairns. He was dismissed from the police service for making conflicting statements about the night Ms Mealing disappeared. A coroner could not establish how Ms Mealing had died, because of the decomposed state of her remains, but was not satisfied she had died from hanging. Deemal will appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on August 1, with the charge carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. A brief police statement confirmed the charge. "It is alleged evidence he gave to the Queensland Crime Commission in relation to the death of Angela Mealing in April 2000 was misleading," the statement said. "The charges result from a review of the investigation of Ms Mealing's death conducted by police from the far northern region." The Crime Commission spent almost a month taking evidence on the case in 2000, using its powerful and secretive "star chamber" powers to compel witnesses to give evidence. Witnesses were legally required to provide truthful evidence to the Crime Commission hearings. Ms Shadforth had gone to the media for help in progressing investigations, with the case featuring on Channel 9's Queensland's Unsolved: A Crimewatch Special late last year. Ms Shadforth yesterday said she thought of her daughter "every second of the day". "She just finished senior, she was going to TAFE and passing everything, she was going to driving lessons – she was happy." The Sunday Mail (Qld) (17-7-2005) David Murray |
2010. All Rights Reserved.
Legal/Disclaimer/
Privacy/
Terms Of Use.