KEY POINTS:
Dianne Brimble died a shocking, sordid and very public death on what was supposed to be her dream holiday.
Australia has repeatedly heard the gruesome details of how she was found naked, probably dying, on a cruise ship cabin floor after ingesting a lethal mix of alcohol and
the illicit drug Fantasy.
Brimble, a 42-year-old mother of three described by those close to her as devoted to her children and friendly, but also prudish and anti-drugs, had saved for two years to go on the holiday with her 12-year-old daughter.
But less than 24 hours after boarding the P&O liner Pacific Sky for the September 2002 cruise, she was dead, lying on the floor of the cabin shared by four of the eight Adelaide men named as persons of interest at the inquest last week.
Through covertly recorded tapes released at the inquest, the public has become privy to many of the discussions of the group.
One, Mark Wilhelm, who had sex with Brimble shortly before her death, was recorded saying it was easier to blame eight guys than "one stupid woman" who tried something after being told about it.
"I am not doubting she was a full-on homey girl, but she also had a dark side," he said. "I am not saying she was not a nice woman, on that night I thought she was okay, not attractive but certainly appeared to be a reasonable, decent person."
But if he had not taken Fantasy, "there is no way I would have gone within 12 feet of her", he said.
Another person of interest, Leo Silvestri, was recorded saying: "At the end of the day we don't care, the only person who is guilty is Mark."
In a conversation with Silvestri, another person of interest, Petar Pantic, suggested they sell their story to 60 Minutes. "Let's make some money out of it before they shaft us."
In a conversation with Silvestri, Ryan Kuchel, yet another person of interest, said unless they organised something like a media release, "no matter what happens, we are never going to be believed".
In recommending the Director of Public Prosecutions consider criminal charges, deputy state coroner Jacqueline Milledge said one of the recorded conversations on the tapes was "crucial".
In it, Wilhelm says: "She actually shit herself, that tells me it is all over. She was very cold and clammy." He also said Brimble was put in the shower to try to warm her up.
As the inquest ended, Ron Hoenig, counsel assisting, said there was enough evidence to conclude two unnamed people had committed an indictable offence, and possible charges could relate to supplying a person with a drug and not rendering assistance.
Earlier, after the inquest heard evidence from more than 70 witnesses, Wilhelm exercised his legal right to silence when called to the witness box.
He had shared the now notorious cabin D182 with Silvestri, Kuchel and Mark Slade. A nearby cabin was shared by their travelling companions, the other four persons of interest, Dragan Losic, Pantic, Luigi Vitale and Charlie Kambouris.
Not long after the men boarded, several had scared other passengers with their offensive behaviour.
Brimble met Wilhelm and several of the other men of interest in the ship's nightclub on that first night.
It was alleged Wilhelm gave her Fantasy before he was photographed having sex with her in his cabin, before she allegedly performed oral sex on Silvestri and before some of her pubic hair was shaved.
When the two men later could not revive the naked Brimble, who had defecated and was lying on the floor, they put her in a shower and dressed her before calling medical staff.
Investigators managed to retrieve the graphic photos, which had been deleted from the camera.
Pantic has been accused of being the photographer, although he told the inquest it was "most unlikely" he took the explicit pictures.
Silvestri, who had demanded an apology after his holiday was ruined by "this thing", told the inquest he had no memory of receiving oral sex from Brimble, describing her as apparently having "helped herself to me", and was asleep when she had sex with Wilhelm in the cabin. In his police interview, he called Brimble an "ugly dog".
The third occupant of the cabin, Kuchel - now a Sydney property consultant - admitted he lied in interviews after her death to cover up for Wilhelm. Describing his friend as a "deviant", and "off his face" on the morning of the death, he confirmed he overheard Brimble say, "I'll try some" after Wilhelm told her about Fantasy.
The fourth occupant, Slade - whose university studies in politics and philosophy seem at odds with the interests of the other men - said he had taken sleeping tablets and was oblivious to the sexual activity.
When he awoke with a hangover, he noted a person lying on the floor and, in retrospect, realised Wilhelm and Silvestri were talking in a "panicky way".
Martial arts expert and youth worker Kambouris said he was shocked someone used his camera to take the photos, which were only revealed to him by police later.
He said he had gone to the other cabin early on the second morning looking for his room-mates and saw Wilhelm coming out of the door and a naked woman on the floor. He denied he was asked for medical advice about her.
Asked his opinion on the death, he said: "I think there is a 40-year-old woman, who had the option to leave, decided to stay, partied with some young men and had a misadventure."
Builder Luigi Vitale was the fourth occupant of the second cabin and he said he went to bed early on the first night because of his seasickness.
He said he had no knowledge of the events, but the coroner said he was answering questions as if he had something to hide.
- AAP
