More could have been done to catch Daniel Morcombe’s killer, rules coroner, as it is revealed murder detective told fellow officer to ‘f*** off’ when he flagged potential lead
- A coroner found police initially didn’t pay enough attention to Morcombe killer
- State coroner Terry Ryan on Friday handed down his findings into Daniel’s death
- Former cops claim they were told to ‘f*** off’ after suggesting Brett Peter Cowan
A Queensland coroner has found police initially didn’t pay enough attention to Daniel Morcombe’s murderer Brett Peter Cowan as a potential suspect.
State coroner Terry Ryan on Friday handed down his findings into the death of Daniel Morcombe, just over 15 years since he disappeared from a bus stop in 2003.
Mr Ryan noted Cowan was a known child sex offender and admitted being in the Sunshine Coast area where Daniel disappeared.
‘I agree with the submissions from family and counsel assisting that more could have been done to focus on Mr Cowan in the early stages of the investigation,’ Mr Ryan said.
State coroner Terry Ryan on Friday handed down his findings into the death of Daniel Morcombe (pictured), just over 15 years since he disappeared from a bus stop in 2003
A Queensland coroner has found police initially didn’t pay enough attention to Daniel Morcombe’s murderer Brett Peter Cowan (pictured) as a potential suspect
He said claims made at the inquest by two police officers – that they were rebuffed when they raised Cowan as a suspect – could not be proven.
Former police officer Dennis Martyn told the inquest he concluded Cowan had abducted Daniel soon after interviewing him.
He said he told the then head of the homicide squad Mike Condon it was Cowan but was told to ‘f*** off’.
His former police partner, Kenneth King, also testified he had considered Cowan a key suspect, but the major incident response team did not immediately pursue their lead.
Mr Condon told the inquest the conversation with Mr Martyn never took place.
Mr Ryan said on Friday the immediate police response was adequate and in line with policy.
Given Daniel was likely killed within an hour of his abduction, his death could not have been prevented by police, he said.
Former police officer Dennis Martyn told the inquest he concluded Cowan had abducted Daniel soon after interviewing him
He said he told the then head of the homicide squad Mike Condon it was Cowan but was told to ‘f*** off’
Before the findings, Denise and Bruce Morcombe said they would be forever haunted by the chilling description of the kidnap and murder by the ‘repulsive paedophile’ who killed their son.
But they were grateful for the inquest that began in 2010 and ultimately led to Daniel’s body being found, and life in jail for the killer.
The long-running inquest examined if and when Daniel had died, and the adequacy of the police response.
The first question was answered for Daniel’s parents and family, who in their statement recognised the extraordinary efforts of police whose covert operation extracted a confession and re-enactment of events.
‘The repulsive paedophile’s callous description of what took place that day and what he did to our much-loved Daniel is chilling to say the least,’ they said.
‘His words have scarred us and will haunt us all forever.’
They said they would be able to move on as family with the conclusion of the inquest but they would never forget.
Before the findings, Denise and Bruce Morcombe (pictured) said they would be forever haunted by the chilling description of the kidnap and murder
Cowan, now serving life in jail for Daniel’s murder, was arrested in 2011 after confessing to undercover officers in the elaborate police sting.
The inquest was put on hold while Cowan faced criminal proceedings, was convicted in 2014 and then exhausted his appeals.
It resumed again briefly in 2016, hearing more about the police handling of the case.
Cowan, now serving life in jail for Daniel’s murder, was arrested in 2011 after confessing to undercover officers in the elaborate police sting