The sudden death of Rebels motorcycle club boss Jamie Ginn in police custody has been revealed as a cocaine overdose, a coronial inquest has heard.
Declining Health Before Death
The inquest before Coroner Michael Jenkin began on Wednesday, with counsel assisting Sue Markham detailing Ginn's deteriorating health in months leading to his October 2023 death. The 52-year-old had suffered frequent nosebleeds and appeared stressed about club business, the court was told.
On the night before his death, Ginn was believed to have taken cocaine multiple times during a Rebels gathering at Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough. The following day, Gang Crime Squad officers were waiting for him at an industrial unit in Wangara, suspecting he had breached a firearm prohibition order.
Final Hours in Police Custody
After surrendering to police, Ginn watched handcuffed as officers searched the area and confided to a constable that he "wasn't feeling too good" - a condition he said had persisted since returning from Malta months earlier, where his feet had become severely swollen. He took medication for this irregularly, the inquest heard.
Police discovered a shotgun wrapped in a towel in nearby bushland before taking Ginn to observe a hotel room search and transporting him to Perth Watch House. During the journey, he intermittently dozed and snored.
During a health assessment around 5pm, Ginn told a duty nurse he was on blood thinners for blood clots in his feet and had last taken medication the previous night. The nurse finished her shift at 6pm, with St John advising no relief would arrive until 6am - despite requirements for 24-hour nurse coverage at the facility.
Fatal Seizure and Response
After being strip-searched and appearing calm and compliant, Ginn ate a meat pie at 6:22pm before lying on his mattress. At 6:53pm, an officer observed him having a seizure and immediately raised the alarm.
CCTV footage showed Ginn's arms and feet trembling before violent body seizures caused him to fall to the floor. This activity went unnoticed for 15 minutes before help arrived.
Officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived at 7:13pm, but Ginn was declared deceased at 8:05pm.
Post-mortem examinations revealed Ginn had an enlarged heart and died from cocaine toxicity, with anabolic steroids also detected in his system.
The inquest will hear from 12 witnesses this week, including auxiliary officers who provided first aid, a toxicologist, and a detective from WA Police's internal affairs unit. Ginn's family members, including his son, are observing proceedings.
