Brisbane father thought of son before throat allegedly slit by ex-wife

June 18, 2021 Ava

A close friend of a father who allegedly had his throat slit by his ex-wife has revealed he would have been thinking about his 10-year-old son in his final moments.

Martin Hoffman said his friend Kerry Michael Rooney, 51, had been nothing but a ‘devoted father’ up until the moment he was allegedly stabbed to death outside his Newmarket home, in Brisbane‘s inner north-west, on Wednesday night.

Mr Rooney had gone out to buy fish and chips for dinner before returning home where his ex-wife Bonita Vivien Coue, 53, allegedly sprayed him with bleach, stabbed him and slit his throat.

Coue was arrested and is facing one charge of murder, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a further count of going armed as to cause fear.

A heartbroken Mr Hoffman said his close friend Mr Rooney had dedicated his entire life to raising his 10-year-old son.

3/3 SLIDES

‘Everyone loves their kids and everyone will always say you were a great guy when you die … but his whole life was just being utterly devoted to his child,’ he said.

Load Error

‘He didn’t have any big interest outside of it, his existence revolved around his child and he would have done anything for him.’

Family photos are understood to have captured a doting Mr Rooney taking his son to Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast, and rollerblading with him at a skating rink, Courier Mail reported.

In one touching moment the pair were also photographed slathering shaving cream over their faces.

Another photo shows Mr Rooney holding a plate of breakfast in his hand, which was prepared by his son to celebrate his father’s birthday.

‘He loved life, his family and loved his friends,’ Mr Hoffman said. ‘There wasn’t a hard bone in his body, he was just so gentle.’

Coue, who separated from Mr Rooney in 2013, appeared in court on Thursday where the magistrate heard she allegedly caught a bus to Mr Rooney’s apartment armed with a bottle of bleach, two kitchen knives and a toy gun.

The single father-of-one was out when she arrived, so Coue allegedly lied in wait in the staircase of his apartment building.

3/3 SLIDES

Officers claim she had been watching Mr Rooney, 51, and monitoring his comings and goings for two weeks prior to the alleged attack.

Police will allege Hungarian-born Coue told officers on the scene she sprayed Mr Rooney in the face with pure bleach to get his attention.

When he turned away from her, she allegedly told officers she then stabbed him in the back.

The knife was allegedly still lodged in Mr Rooney’s back when officers arrived.

Police will allege Mr Rooney was able to escape and screamed for help as Coue followed him, continuing to stab and cut him.

Coue is also accused of pointing her toy gun at a neighbour who tried to intervene with a baseball bat.

She has also been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm relating to allegedly spraying the neighbour with her bottle of bleach.

When Mr Rooney finally fell to the ground in the middle of the street, police allege Coue leaned over the top of him and slit his throat.

Mr Rooney was employed as a test analyst with Queensland’s Department of Education and had previously worked with Queensland Health and the Department of Transport.

Coue was arrested at the scene and was self represented when the matter was mentioned in court on Thursday.

Despite repeated suggestions from the magistrate that she seek free legal aid, Coue said she ‘couldn’t afford’ the service.

‘I can’t afford it… she’s spruiking for business for Legal Aid… the bill comes later,’ Coue said, according to the Courier Mail.

She is facing one charge of murder, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a further count of going armed as to cause fear.

The matter was adjourned until July 12.

Source: Thanks msn.com