Family of Canberra man Harri Jokinen says police pursuit policy must change
Canberra man Harri Jokinen was killed during a police pursuit while on his way to Tathra on the NSW far south coast. (Supplied)
In short:
Marc Anthony Jessop was evading police in 2021 when he crashed into a van, killing the 56-year-old driver, Harri Jokinen.
Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking recommended that police mandate that they only initiate a chase if it is safe.
What's next?
Mr Jokinen's partner of eight years, Elisabeth Adamson, says she hopes police change to their pursuit policy.
A coroner has recommended that police must find that there is no risk to public safety before they begin a pursuit, as part of her findings into the death of a Canberra man in 2021.
Harri Jokinen was killed in a head-on collision with a stolen Holden Commodore that reached speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour during a police pursuit.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, Moruya man Marc Anthony Jessop, was sentenced to 10 years' jail after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of the 56-year-old father.
A week-long coronial inquest into the death was held in Queanbeyan in April, and on Friday, Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking handed down her findings.
Elisabeth Adamson with her partner of eight years, Harri Jokinen. (Supplied)
Magistrate Hosking recommended that police mandate that they only initiate a chase if it is safe, and that police undergo statewide testing on the threshold for initiating a pursuit.
"The need to apprehend Jessop was low to moderate," she told Lidcombe Coroners Court.
She told the court police should have been aware of the "excessive" risks Jessop, who had a blood alcohol reading of 0.129 at the time, would take to evade police after an initial pursuit was terminated due to him driving dangerously at high speed.
"The second pursuit should not have been authorised," Magistrate Hosking told the court.
Elisabeth Adamson hopes Mr Jokinen's death will lead to positive changes in police pursuit policy. (ABC South East NSW: Alasdair McDonald)
Due to court orders, much of the evidence involving details on police policy cannot be published.
Mr Jokinen's partner of eight years, Elisabeth Adamson, said she felt an "overwhelming sense of relief, but also sadness".
"Everything we've read and seen up until now has shown us that everything went categorically wrong that day," Dr Adamson said.
"Her Honour has just confirmed that this is the case, and police made many errors of judgement that cost Harri his life."
Harri Jokinen with his eldest daughter, Lisa Jokinen. (Supplied)
Dr Adamson said the recommendations mirrored what had already been handed down in other cases, including after the death of a 22-year-old man who died while being chased by police in 2018, and she hoped police would change their pursuit policy.
Tyrone Adams died after being chased by police at Tweed Heads when he lost control of his car and crashed into a tree.
In 2022, Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame found that the initial decision to pursue Mr Adams was not sound and recommended a threshold test be undertaken before a decision to intercept or stop a vehicle.
Family still grieving
Mr Hokinen's eldest daughter, Lisa Hokinen, said hundreds of people attended his memorial service, and his friends and family remembered him as an incredibly kind and generous man who went out of his way to help others.
"I just cry all the time," she said.
"Everything in my life is all tainted because everything I used to do was with my dad."