A WEEK ago 24-year-old Gold Coast office worker Tara Brown, who died last night, went to police and asked for advice about breaking up with her former partner.

She was turned away and told to go elsewhere.

On Tuesday, her former partner Lionel Patea allegedly rammed her car, forcing her off the road and — while she was trapped in the wreckage — beat her mercilessly with a piece of steel until she was unrecognisable.

Ms Brown died from her injuries in the Gold Coast University Hospital last night.

EARLIER: FORMER BIKIE CHARGED OVER ATTACK

EARLIER: FROM SWEETHEARTS TO ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

Mr Patea was yesterday charged under the state’s tough anti-bikie laws with trying to kill her.

Detective Inspector Brian Swan said police believed he had followed Ms Brown from a child care centre earlier in the morning.

“It is understood that he was at the centre waiting for her,” he said yesterday.

“It is believed there were a number of altercations between Nerang and Molendinar where the crash occurred, including a possible physical altercation at a set of traffic lights.

After allegedly running her off the road, he is accused of beating her to a pulp as witnesses tried to stop him.

“At first police thought a paver or brick was used in the alleged attack on the woman but it was a cast iron metal plate that had come loose from a footpath hydrant,” Det Insp Swan alleged.

“I have been a police officer for more than 30 years and this sort of thing still shocks me.”

Police last night revealed the advice given to Ms Brown when she sought help at Southport police station to leave Mr Patea was under investigation.

“The appropriateness of the police response ... has been reported to the Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards Command and is currently being investigated by a senior officer,” the official statement said.

Ms Brown had gone to the police station with friends last Thursday and showed them text messages on her mobile phone.

But the police had no advice to offer, a friend said.News_Image_File: The accused’s Jeep at the scene of the attack at Molendinar on Tuesday. Photo: Jessica Huxley

“There was nothing they (the police) could do about it,” the friend said.

Another friend described the young Coast mother as a strong and intelligent woman who had wanted to end her relationship with her childhood sweetheart.

“This (breakup) was a long time coming,” the woman friend said.

“She was very intelligent, very smart girl.

“She was also very strong.”

Yesterday relatives arrived from New Zealand to visit the former Keebra High School student.

Mr Patea was charged at a bedside court hearing in the Gold Coast University Hospital where he was recovering from what police say are self-inflicted knife wounds.

The Oxenford man was later transferred under guard to a secure ward in a Brisbane hospital.

Det Insp Swan said police had also charged Mr Patea with stealing a motor vehicle which he used to drive to the Coomera police complex after the alleged attack.

“He drove into the back car park where he was located with two stab wounds we believe are self-inflicted,” he said.

“It all happened so quickly we still don’t know exactly where the male was when the wounds were inflicted.”

Police confirmed a knife was found inside the car.

A large group of “devastated” family and friends of Ms Brown gathered at her bedside last night.

Friends are not sure when Ms Brown’s relationship with Mr Patea ended.

A male friend said Mr Patea had spent a full day with the couple’s daughter last Sunday.

Friends have been told that in the lead-up to Tuesday morning’s road rage incident, Mr Patea was hopeful about them remaining a couple but Ms Brown had been determined to end the relationship.

They say she had been living separately and had kept details of her home arrangements private.

Mr Patea has also been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.