Death of John Pat on this date in 1983

Remember the brutal murder of John Pat at Roebourne on 28 September 1983, recognising that he was bashed to death by five drunken, off duty police officers.

The Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (WA) Inc holds a memorial event for John Pat and all past deaths in police and prison custody every year. This years event will be taking place on Friday Oct 2nd.

JOHN PAT............ WA ..........1983

On the night of September 28, 1983, in Roeburne, W.A., five off-duty police arrived at the Victoria Hotel after a social night of drinking at a local golf club. One of the officers verbally abused an Aboriginal man waiting to be served at the bar. This man, Ashley James, was followed out of the hotel where one of the policeman knocked him to the ground. James retaliated and an all out fight began with the off-duty police. People who tried to help him or rescue him became involved.

One such rescuer was John Pat. He was trying to pull Ashley James away from the fight. As he did so, a policeman walked up to him and punched him in the mouth. A witness testified that John Pat "fell back and didn't get up. I heard his head hit the road'.

The fight was over after fifteen minutes when police reinforcements arrived with a van. Despite his concussed and senseless condition witnesses stated that John Pat was picked up by the hair and kicked in the face. They also testified that they saw a policeman kick him. Residents who live nearby, and prisoners, testified that police systematically beat six others including the unconscious John Pat.

Dr John Hinton, a forensic pathologist, found that Pat had died of head injuries which caused a brain haemorrhage. He had received 10 blows to the head; and half a dozen bruises above his right ear. His lips were cracked and there were scratches on his face. Apart from the head injuries, Pat had two broken ribs and a tear in the aorta, the major blood vessel leading from the heart.

What followed after John's death has all the classic features of a police cover-up. John Pat's body was washed before the police scientific photographers took pictures. The body's position was changed.

During the inquest, Detective Sergeant Scott admitted under cross-examination that it appears Roebourne Police had deliberately falsified the police records.

"We have to get rid of racist cops. I don't want to dwell on the past, but I have grown up bitter."—Ben Taylor, Noongar Aboriginal elder, Perth (DICWC WA Inc)