Former Queensland Health Psychiatrist Accused of Betrayal: Revealing Murder Details

Psychiatrist Donald Grant has been accused of betraying victims of crime and breaching the confidence of his employer in his newly released book on murderers and other offenders he assessed during his time on the state payroll. Grant was appointed by the Mental Health Court of Queensland to provide an independent report to the courts on killer Rhys Austin.

 

In 2014, the Queensland Court of Appeal upheld a Mental Health Court decision that Austin would not stand trial for the murder of his girlfriend Bianca Girven as he was of unsound mind. In his book, Killer Instinct, Dr Grant has released previously unpublicised details of the case — including Ms Girven's supposed last words before her death.

 

A Queensland Health spokesperson admitted the matter was a concern. "We can't underestimate how serious an issue this appears to be," the spokesperson said. "On its surface it looks like a betrayal of patients, victims and their families and the clinician's duty to do the right thing professionally. "We are incredibly distressed and are looking into the matter further."

 

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said, "We need to be ensuring that we are looking after the real victims in this scenario — the families of those whom have been killed."

 

Gail Burke, "Former Queensland Health psychiatrist accused of betraying victims over book revealing murder details," 13 June 2018, ABC News, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-13/murder-book-betrayal-victims-former-qld-health-psychiatrist/9866506