Mystery, police flaws shroud teen’s train track death
A series of police errors concealed the truth from the family of a local teenager whose body was mysteriously found on train tracks 38 years ago, an inquest has heard.
Gomeroi teenager Mark Haines was found dead near his crashed stolen Holden Torana on the tracks south of Tamworth, NSW, on the morning of January 16, 1988.
An autopsy determined that the 17-year-old died due to traumatic head trauma.
The initial police investigation concluded that he lay on the tracks either deliberately or in a dazed state; This was something his family never believed.
The investigation, which was launched in mid-2024, examines the circumstances of Mark’s death and the initial police investigation following a long campaign by his uncle Don Craigie to reopen the case.
Mark’s family has long suspected a murder and believe the police investigation was hampered by racism.
The lawyer assisting Chris McGorey during closing submissions on Thursday said there were “significant” deficiencies in the police’s initial work.
These flaws included the improper collection of evidence from the tracks and the rapid removal of Mark’s body and the train.
Police also failed to involve detectives in the case and did not immediately interview Mark’s family or investigate any connection between the teenager and the crashed car.
“(With a more robust investigation) the coroner and Mark’s family would be much more likely to be placed closer to the truth,” Mr McGorey told the NSW Coroner’s Court in Lidcombe on Thursday.
He said it would be up to Assistant State’s Attorney Harriet Grahame to determine whether racial bias influenced the police investigation.
Explaining the investigation into his nephew’s death at the 2025 inquest, Craigie said: “If it had been a white boy, that train would still be there.
“They would start the engine of that train.”
Mr McGorey said it was clear the coroner accepted Mr Craigie’s belief about investigators’ bias.
“I would like to make clear that there is no dispute to me that there were clear deficiencies in the police and judicial response in 1988 and 1989,” he said.
The coroner was told the circumstances leading to Mark’s death remained largely a mystery and various scenarios were likely to remain unexplored.
“These are unfortunately and tragically … unknowables,” Mr. McGorey said.
“There are two and a half hours where we don’t know Mark’s movements or what happened.”
The inquest also heard evidence that Mark could not drive and would never steal a car.
Mr McGorey said this meant it was “highly likely” that Mark was not alone when he hit the tracks.
“These individuals have not come forward with what they know or their identities have not been revealed.”
Ms Grahame will present her findings at a later date.
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