A Melbourne doctor who was said to have been in awe of patient Ben Pappas, a champion skateboarder, may have had his judgement clouded when dealing with he and his partner in issues relating to mental health and domestic violence.
Pappas killed his girlfriend Lynette Phillips, 28, and then took his own life eight days later.
The coroner Judge Jennifer Coate, recommended a study conducted on the feasibility of a hotline for doctors who believe their patients are trapped by domestic violence so they can contact to prevent issues like this arising.
Judge Coate heard that Dr Michael Kozminsky had been treating both patients separately and together and knew about the violence in their relationship and the two intervention orders, but she believes his judgement was clouded because of Pappas’ sporting ability.
The finding came as a relief to Ms Phillips’s sister, Wendy. “For the last nearly six years, really all I wanted to hear was that Ben Pappas was responsible for killing my sister, and when I got that, that was relief,” she said adding that Dr Kozminsky should have told someone about the risks.
“I believe, we all believe, something could have been done to prevent this from happening,” she said.
“I know as a family we did everything we could in terms of just being there for Lynette. “With the medical professionals involved, I don’t really think they acted according to the rules that they have.”