Inquest on hold for new dates to be set down, court hears of 'further evidence'

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died.

No witnesses will be called or examined on the last two days of a two week inquest into the death of Gomeroi teenager Mark Anthony Haines.

The 17-year-old's body was found on train tracks on the outskirts of Tamworth on January 16, 1988.

On Thursday, April 18, the court heard the inquest would be adjourned until the following day when new dates would be decided.

Counsel assisting the coroner Chris McGrorey told the court witnesses who had not yet given evidence may be called when the inquest returned at a "later date".

Mr McGrorey told the court it was anticipated "further evidence" would be prepared.

The fresh inquest was the second probe into the death of the 17-year-old after an initial police investigation concluded Mark had likely died by suicide, and a previous inquest returned an open finding.

No charges have ever been laid in relation to the teenager's death.

The new inquest opened in Tamworth on April 8, 2024, more than 36 years after Mark's body was discovered.

The inquest was expected to run for two weeks, and had previously heard evidence from police officers, paramedics, railway workers and friends of Mark.

Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame told the inquest it would be "hard" to get so many people together again at the same time.

She said if the inquest returned to Tamworth it could be a longer wait for a new date, compared to court room availability elsewhere in the state.

Outside the court house, Mark's uncle Don Craigie said he could not shed any light on the reason for the delay in the inquest.

"I'm at a loss," Mr Craigie said.

The inquest will continue in Tamworth on Friday, April 19, for new dates to be set down.