Mark Haines’ girlfriend too ‘scared’ to tell police what happened before his 1988 death, new inquest hears
The girlfriend of teenager Mark Haines knows what happened before he was found dead on train tracks but is too scared to tell police, an inquest into his death has heard.
The 17-year-old’s body was found on the tracks south of Tamworth, New South Wales, on the morning of 16 January 1988, not far from a crashed stolen car.
A new inquest is examining the circumstances of Haines’ death and the original police investigation, after a long campaign by his uncle Don Craigie to revisit the case.
Natalie Maher told the inquest she was with Haines and his girlfriend, Tanya White, the night before his body was found, as a group of friends went to two nightclubs in Tamworth. She told the inquest on Tuesday she parted ways with the young couple at the end of the night, only to hear about a body found on train tracks when she was woken by the 9am radio news on 16 January.
The two women no longer speak because White will not tell police what she knows, Maher said.
“I’ve had frequent conversations over the years and [she’s] stated she knows what happened to Mark and I begged her to tell police … and she just will not,” Maher told the inquest sitting in Tamworth court house. “She said she’s scared.”
Maher said White had previously told her she knew who was in the car with Haines that night, as well as who was driving.
However, Maher acknowledged she did not tell police about these revelations in her own statement to investigators in 2000. She said she acted out of loyalty to her friend, her own youth and the number of stories being told around town about Haines’ death.
“There were so many rumours going around, people were assuming things, there was a lot of fear,” Maher said. “Tanya said she was in fear for her life and I was in between a rock and a hard place.”
Through tears, Maher said on Tuesday that she remained haunted by Haines’ death and his emotional funeral.
“The sorrow, the grief, the wailing of the family … how can you not speak up?
“These people were supposed to be his friends and I’m so sorry to Mark’s family and I wish I could help more. I’m so sorry.”
The inquest before deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame continues.
