Brodie Rae Constance Panlock grew up in the outer eastern suburbs of
Melbourne in the
Australian
state of
Victoria with her parents and two older brothers. In early 2005, at age 18, Panlock started working at Cafe Vamp in
Hawthorn, an inner suburb of
Melbourne. In March 2006, shortly after her 19th birthday, Panlock moved to a small flat in Hawthorn to be closer to work. Cafe Vamp helped Panlock with references and lent her the bond money for the flat. She worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, and was described as a "loyal employee" and a "buoyant, chirpy, compassionate, patient, giving girl" by co-workers. Panlock had plans to save enough money to travel overseas with her brother and his girlfriend before enrolling at
TAFE to study
social work.
Bullying Panlock became involved in an intermittent intimate relationship with cafe manager Nicholas Smallwood in the fifteen months leading up to her death. Panlock became infatuated with Smallwood, but the attention was not returned. In the last few months Panlock's relationship with Smallwood became unhealthy, according to coroner Peter White, who found that Smallwood and others "systematically bullied her, both physically and emotionally". Smallwood, fellow waiter Rhys MacAlpine and, to a lesser extent, chef Gabriel Toomey, called her names and told her she was fat, ugly and a whore. They kicked and spat on her, held her down and poured oil on her hair and clothes, covered her in chocolate sauce and filled her kit bag with fish oil. Other employees intervened without effect, and the cafe owner Marcus Da Cruz turned a blind eye to the behaviour. In May 2006, after being kicked out of Smallwood's apartment, Panlock made a suicide attempt. Smallwood later taunted Panlock that she could not do it properly, and put poison in her handbag.
Final days On 20 September 2006, Smallwood left her flat after Panlock had begged him to stay. She called a former school friend, Ashlea Cooper, who gave evidence to the inquest. Cooper recalled that Panlock "cried hysterically" and felt that she had made a fool of herself, saying: Shortly after 11:00pm on 20 September 2006, Brodie attempted suicide in Hawthorn; she died from her injuries in
The Alfred Hospital three days later.
Penalty Four men and MAP Foundation, the company that owned Cafe Vamp, were charged with offences under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 for their part in bullying Panlock. They pleaded guilty to the charges on 8 February 2010, at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court. They were ordered to pay $335,000 in fines as follows: • MAP Foundation – $220,000 • Marcus Da Cruz – $30,000 • Nicholas Smallwood – $45,000 • Rhys MacAlpine – $30,000 • Gabriel Toomey – $10,000 ==Law reform==