Brothers Sean and David McAuliffe, both convicted of a 1990 gay bashing murder, and Sean Cushman, who has been identified in two gay bashings appeared before the senior deputy state coroner Jacqueline Milledge yesterday, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Sydney police believe that the three gay men were thrown into the ocean off cliffs in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Wollongong news presenter Ross Warren, French national Gilles Mattaini and Bondi local John Russell were found to have disappeared between September 1985 and July 1989 in the vicinity of a Bondi gay beat, Mark's Park, which overlooks the ocean.

The court heard that Kay Warren, the mother of Ross Warren, had written to police between 1998 and 2000 which led to the discovery of seven "persons of interest" concerning the death of her son and two other gay men as well as a fresh investigation and the subsequent coronial inquiry.

Warren was last seen alive on July 22, 1989 while his car was found at Marks Park the next day.

State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge told Cushman he was a person of interest after he was identified in connection with the bashing of another gay man, David McMahon, in December 1989, five months after Warren went missing.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Paul Lakatos said the court would be hearing evidence in the next two weeks from McMahon, a victim of a bashing on the Bondi to Tamarama coastal path. He told the court that he believed Cushman was one of two youths who attempted to bash him while he was jogging.

Cushman is alleged to have told McMahon before he (McMahon) escaped from them: "I'm going to throw you over the side".

Cushman who left court yesterday at the lunch recess and did not return for the afternoon sitting, is expected to be questioned for the first time during the inquest next week over the suspected murders.

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Also present and handcuffed during the inquiry were brothers Sean and David McAuliffe, the convicted killers of Krichakorn Rattanajurathaporn, a Thai national. He was found dead at the bottom of cliffs at Mackenzie's Point, South Bondi, in July 1990. A third man, Matthew Davis, was also convicted of the murder of Rattanajurathaporn.

Lakatos yesterday criticised the police officers who investigated the deaths at the time.

During the investigation of John Russell's death, which was found not to be suspicious after an earlier inquest, police lost several hairs found in one of his hands when his body was located at the bottom of cliffs at Bondi.

"The cases where allowed to lie unresolved for 10 years," Lakatos said.

Police also had no records of Mattaini going missing until August 2000 even though he disappeared in September 1985. His body along with Warren's has never been found.

Detective Sergeant Stephen Page, of Paddington police, was the first to give evidence yesterday having lead the investigation called Operation Taradale for more two years.

According to Australian media reports, gay hate gangs emerged as mainly Caucasian, single, unemployed young men in a profile by the police gay and lesbian liaison unit. Their motives included homophobia, group initiation and a need to prove their masculinity. Robbery, too, was a motive. Gay men are believed to be "soft targets who won't fight back or complain to authorities".

The inquest continues.