Second Inquest into death of Mark Haines hears last day of evidence

A second inquest into the death of Gomeroi teenager Mark Haines in 1988 has heard it's last day of evidence before further dates next year.

Transcript

00:0017-year-old Gomory teenager Mark Anthony Haynes' body was discovered on train tracks just south

00:08of Tamworth in January of 1988, with police initially theorising he was responsible for

00:15his own death.

00:16Now, a second inquest into the teen's death has returned to Tamworth for a third week

00:22of hearings, with the court primarily hearing from former Tamworth boxer Eddie Davis.

00:28Mr Davis told the court he had been confronted by members of Mark's extended family in the

00:34weeks after the teen's passing, and asked what he knew about the circumstances that

00:39led to Mark's death.

00:40He denied any knowledge of those circumstances, but did tell the court he was under the impression

00:46that the actions of Mark's family may have discouraged those who do know what happened

00:51to Mark from coming forward.

00:53He told the court he believed their conscience would have got to them within the year otherwise.

00:58The court had previously heard from a former partner of Mr Davis and had been directed

01:04to a statement an associate of hers had made in the late 1990s in which they say this former

01:10partner had alleged Mr Davis had made admissions to being involved in Mark's death, particularly

01:15the use of a crowbar to strike the teen and his body having been placed on the tracks.

01:21On the last day of evidence, Mr Davis directly addressed Don Craigie, a long-time advocate,

01:27as well as Mark's uncle.

01:29He said he was sorry for everything that the Haynes and Craigie family have gone through

01:34over the last 40 years, and apologised for that pain that they have suffered.

01:40At the conclusion of evidence, Mark's family made their way out to the cemetery where Mark

01:45was laid to rest, and his uncle and long-time advocate Don Craigie said that moving the

01:50inquest to Sydney now means it's no longer on country.

01:54I'm here amongst the spirits and getting answers to the questions I've had in my head

02:04and so has my family for almost 37 years.

02:08The inquest will continue for another week of evidence heard in Sydney with Deputy Coroner

02:14Harriet Graham warning the court there's potentially more than a week of evidence left to go before

02:20findings are released at a later date.

02:24For more information, visit nyseagrant.org.