A coroner has concluded that police were unable to prevent Phillip Reidy from taking a lethal dose of cyanide during his arrest on July 2, 2024, in central Victoria. The 27-year-old was cooperative when officers arrived to question him regarding a family violence incident. While being handcuffed, Reidy requested to use the bathroom. The officers removed his handcuffs and followed him inside.
Instead of going to the bathroom, Reidy accessed a bottle of cyanide tablets on his desk, consuming one while his back was turned to the police. He then took a drink and soon began coughing, ultimately collapsing and asking the officers to convey his love to his mother. Attempts by police and paramedics to revive him were unsuccessful, and an autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as cyanide poisoning.
Coroner Paul Lawrie, in his findings released recently, determined that Reidy had deliberately taken the cyanide to end his life. He acknowledged that while the officers were not informed that Reidy possessed the poison, it would have been beneficial for them to know; however, he noted that it was speculative to assume police would have acted differently had they been informed.
Lawrie pointed out that given Reidy’s calm and cooperative demeanor, it was reasonable for the police to allow him to use the bathroom. He stated there should be no criticism of the officers for failing to foresee Reidy’s actions. The coroner also revealed that Reidy had procured 250 grams of cyanide online in July 2023, providing false information to obtain an exemption necessary for purchase in New South Wales, claiming it was for scientific use.
While he did not propose formal recommendations, Lawrie suggested the need for a consistent national framework governing the sale of schedule seven poisons, highlighting the disparities between regulations in New South Wales and Victoria regarding toxic substances.
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