Coroner's Finding: Jones, Ashton Frederick

MAGISTRATES COURT of TASMANIA

CORONIAL DIVISION Record of Investigation into Death (Without Inquest) Coroners Act 1995 Coroners Rules 2006 Rule 11 I, Simon Cooper, Coroner, having investigated the death of Ashton Frederick Jones Find, pursuant to Section 28(1) of the Coroners Act 1995, that: a) The identify of the deceased is Ashton Frederick Jones; b) Mr Jones died as a result of being stabbed in the neck by Caleb Adams; c) The cause of Mr Jones’s death was hypovolaemic shock; and d) Mr Jones died, aged 34 years, 12 October 2020 at Carbeen Street, Mornington, Tasmania In making the above findings, I have had regard to the evidence gained into Mr Jones’ death which includes:

• Police Report of Death for the Coroner;

• Affidavits confirming identity;

• Report – Dr Donald Ritchey, Forensic Pathologist;

• Report – Forensic Science Service Tasmania;

• Police Information Holdings; and

• Memorandum of Sentence and Comments on Passing Sentence – Caleb Adams.

Mr Jones and Mr Adams lived in the same unit complex.

In the early hours of 12 October 2020 Mr Jones approached Mr Adams’s unit. He had socks on his hands. Mr Jones stuck his head through a broken kitchen window of Mr Adams’s unit.

Mr Adams was in the kitchen and stabbed him in the neck with a 35 cm long kitchen knife.

Mr Jones staggered away from the unit with blood spurting from his neck. He collapsed and died about 30 metres away from the window.

The Police were called and quickly apprehended Mr Adams. He made some admissions to stabbing Mr Jones.

An autopsy carried out on Mr Jones’s body showed he had suffered a 6.2 cm oblique stab wound of the anterior neck, which caused copious bleeding both externally and internally.

Toxicological analysis of samples taken from Mr Jones’s body at autopsy showed the presence of methamphetamine at a level within the reported fatal range for that drug, although obviously that was not the cause of his death.

Mr Adams was charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment.

Comments and Recommendations The circumstances surrounding Mr Jones’ death are not such that require me to make any comments or recommendations pursuant to section 28 of the Coroners Act 1995.

Dated: 29 July 2025 at Hobart, in the State of Tasmania.

Simon Cooper Coroner