A history of domestic violence should have been a glaring red flag, but tragically, it wasn't, leading to a devastating loss. The recent findings from a coroner's inquest into the death of Maryam Hamka have ignited urgent calls for a serious re-evaluation of how police assess and respond to domestic violence situations. This case highlights a critical gap where a perpetrator's past actions seemingly didn't trigger the level of concern that could have potentially saved a life.
Maryam Hamka, a 36-year-old woman, was murdered in April 2021 by her partner, Toby Loughnane, in his Melbourne apartment. This horrific event occurred after a disturbing incident just weeks prior, on March 6, where police were called to her mother's home. In this prior incident, Loughnane had reportedly chased Hamka while armed with a knife. But here's where it gets controversial... Despite the terrifying nature of this chase, Victoria Police's Family Violence Investigation Unit initially classified the risk as medium, adhering to their existing guidelines.
State Coroner Liberty Sanger, in her findings released recently, stated unequivocally that Loughnane's extensive history of family violence should have warranted a higher level of concern and specialist oversight. She concluded, "This incident should have been classified as high risk."
When police arrived at the scene of the knife incident, Hamka had already departed and, when contacted, she denied that the event had occurred. However, her sister provided crucial, albeit heartbreaking, details to the officers, confirming the incident and revealing that Loughnane had also "bashed her really bad previously." It's a stark contrast that a police report noted no previous family violence reports, despite Loughnane's documented history. And this is the part most people miss... How can official records not reflect a pattern of behaviour that was so clearly evident to those closest to the situation?
Tragically, on April 11, Loughnane took Maryam Hamka's life and subsequently buried her body in a shallow grave at Cape Schanck. A jury later found him guilty of murder, and in February 2025, he received a sentence of 28 years' imprisonment, with a 20-year non-parole period.
While Judge Sanger did not definitively state that a different risk rating would have prevented Hamka's death, nor that the initial assessment was incorrect under the policy at the time, she emphasized that it may have underestimated the severity of Loughnane's violent history. The coroner powerfully stated, "Even if the risk assessment tool did not assess this as high risk, in my view, this does not obviate the need for members to use professional judgment."
Loughnane's record with Victoria Police was extensive, with 21 recorded instances as a family violence perpetrator. He had previously been incarcerated for violent offenses, violated court orders, and had been subject to high-risk police monitoring in relation to other women.
In light of these findings, Judge Sanger has recommended that the state government fund an independent evaluation of Victoria Police's risk assessment models and their Family Violence Investigation Units. This is a crucial step towards ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.
What are your thoughts on the balance between official risk assessment tools and the necessity of professional judgment in domestic violence cases? Do you believe the system failed Maryam Hamka? Share your views below.
Support is available. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
