A former top police officer on the William Tyrrell investigation has slammed detectives now handling the case after a highly publicised leak to the media.
Gary Jubelin, was the ex-lead detective who investigated the toddler’s mysterious disappearance from Benaroon Drive in Kendall on the NSW mid north coast on September 12, 2014.
‘Given the number of leaks about this investigation, it is high time the police put up or shut up and present some evidence,’ Mr Jubelin told The Saturday Telegraph this week.
The possibility of charges against William’s foster mother, who can’t legally be named, was widely reported recently after a confidential brief of evidence from NSW Police to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) made its way to the ABC.
The brief recommended the foster mother be charged with perverting the course of justice and interfering with a corpse based on allegations from police that William accidentally fell from a high balcony, fatally hit his head and she concealed the body.
The strike force investigating the case does not believe the foster mother caused his death, the ABC said.
A brief handed to the DPP by NSW Police recommends William Tyrrell’s foster mother be charged after he accidentally fell from a balcony and she allegedly covered it up
Former lead detective on the case Gary Jubelin slammed NSW Police after the brief was leaked the ABC
A major basis for the theory is a short drive the foster mother took in her mother’s car shortly after William disappeared, which police allege was to hide the body in bushland.
But Mr Jubelin said she had already told police about the drive early on in the investigation and when questioned on multiple occasions claimed to be simply looking for him.
Mr Jubelin said he didn’t have an issue with detectives not disclosing their moves to the foster mother as ‘confidentiality’ was an advantage but questioned why there have been no charges with allegations now leaked.
‘Play(ing) out your theories in the media, you forfeit that (advantage). You can’t have it both ways.’
‘Leaks are happening, people’s lives are being destroyed and NSW Police are just standing back and letting it happen.’
NSW Police are yet to publicly make a statement either confirming the brief was submitted to the DPP or addressing the suspected leak.
The foster mother’s lawyer, Sharon Ramsden, contacted detectives on Wednesday seeking confirmation that a brief of evidence had been sent to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions for the consideration of criminal proceedings against her client.
‘The foster mother and her legal representatives call for disclosure of the evidence which police suggest forms the basis of any criminal proceedings,’ the lawyer said.
‘The foster mother has always, and (continues to) maintain, she has nothing to do with William’s disappearance.’
The woman’s lawyer stressed the foster mother had previously been ruled out of any wrongdoing in relation to his disappearance.
‘William’s foster mother and her legal representatives urge the Director of Public Prosecutions to expeditiously determine whether charges are to be laid,’ the statement said.
William Tyrrell vanished from the Kendall home of his foster grandmother in 2014
The woman, aged in her late 50s, was acquitted in 2022 of lying to the NSW Crime Commission about hitting a different child with a wooden spoon.
The charge was unrelated to William’s disappearance, which has been the subject of sustained efforts by police to find answers.
The case of the boy who went missing in a spiderman suit has intrigued the nation.
During a court hearing in November over the perversion charge, a senior NSW detective said he believed the woman had knowledge of William’s whereabouts.
‘I have formed the view (she) knows where William Tyrrell is,’ Detective Sergeant Andrew Lonergan told Downing Centre Local Court.
In December 2020, a highly-publicised month-long search of the Kendall property and surrounding area failed to find any trace of the boy.
A $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of William and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance was announced in 2016.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to comment.
NSW Police said: ‘There are no updates on this matter. The investigation is ongoing’.
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