Jurors at Lee inquest question bail enforcement

Jurors at an inquest into a multiple murder-suicide in Victoria on Tuesday said they were surprised at the inability of authorities to enforce court orders. 

Peter Lee killed his estranged wife, Sunny Park, their six-year-old son, Christian, and her parents in a knife-wielding frenzy before plunging the blade into his own heart in their Oak Bay home last September.

The jury had already heard that Victoria police had tried to persuade the Crown to keep Lee in custody after a car accident they believe was a deliberate attempt to kill or injure Park. 

Instead, the Crown agreed to release Lee with conditions, including orders to not contact Park, stay away from the family home and restaurant, and not possess any weapons. 

On Tuesday, the jurors wanted to know why more wasn't done to ensure Lee obeyed those conditions. 

In the month before the killings, Lee called Park, loitered on the edge of their property and did not honestly report where he was living to his parole officer, the inquest was told.

And Lee was never checked for weapons, although Park had told police her estranged husband always had a knife on him and another in the trunk of his SUV.

Lee's parole officer testified she asked police to investigate the allegations, and a bail review was scheduled for Aug. 18, 2007.

Murders carried out on day of hearing

However, neither Lee nor his lawyer attended the hearing, so it was rescheduled.

Later that day, Lee was informed through his lawyer that he was skating on very thin ice and could be returned to jail.

Lee killed his family and committed suicide on the day of the rescheduled hearing. 

Jurors who asked questions told the inquest they were surprised and perplexed by what they had heard.

One juror suggested people with no fixed addresses be held in jail until they have one. Another called the court orders "wishy-washy" and expressed disbelief over how little power corrections officials and police have in trying to enforce them.

The inquest also heard from a social worker who said she warned Park she should have an emergency plan in place should Lee break his bail conditions.