Top William Tyrrell cop Gary Jubelin threatened to destroy an innocent tradesman during the high-profile investigation into the toddler’s disappearance, a court has heard.
Mr Jubelin, who was then the head of Strike Force Rosann investigating the Tyrrell case, allegedly told the former person of interest Bill Spedding: ‘Mr Nice Washing Machine Man, I’m going to ruin you’.
The 2015 exchange took place after Mr Jubelin placed his face in close to Mr Spedding, who found the encounter intimidating, the NSW Supreme Court heard.
Mr Spedding – who was later cleared of any involvement in the boy’s disappearance – is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution.
In another alleged incident, one of Jubelin’s co-detectives turned around in the car in which they were driving Mr Spedding and screamed at him: ‘We know you did it. We’re going to get you’.
Detective Justin Moynihan, who had ‘increased his aggression’ leaving Mr Spedding with his ‘legs shaking, hot and sweaty and stressed’, added ‘We’re going to come and arrest you’, the court heard on Tuesday.
A court has heard ex-cop Gary Jubelin frightened an innocent tradie Bill Spedding during the William Tyrrell case by saying ‘Mr Nice Washing Machine Man. I’m going to ruin you’
![Bill Spedding is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution over historical sex assault charges laid against him during the William Tyrrell investigation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/03/57045443-10753057-image-a-16_1650938542602.jpg)
Bill Spedding is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution over historical sex assault charges laid against him during the William Tyrrell investigation
The verbal attack on Mr Spedding came after a gruelling six-hour police interview in which detectives told Spedding they believed he had ‘grabbed William from the front yard’ of a Kendall address.
Mr Spedding had visited the Kendall home of William’s foster grandmother on the NSW Mid North Coast days before the toddler vanished from the house in September 2014.
The confrontation occurred in January 2015, after detectives descended on Mr Spedding’s Bonny Hills home to search the home for remains of William.
On Tuesday, the court heard that Mr Jubelin, then Detective Chief Inspector, decided charging the repairman with historical sexual offences might ‘crack the plaintiff open’ and might make (his wife) Margaret think different about him” .
Mr Spedding is claiming his arrest over the historical sexual charges of which he was eventually cleared was a ‘collateral attack’ designed to expose him back then as a possible suspect in William Tyrrell’s disappearance.
Mr Spedding was targeted by Mr Jubelin, who has since left the force and been convicted over illegally taping another Tyrrell suspect.
Adrian Canceri, for Mr Spedding, told the court that sexual abuse allegations against Mr Spedding had previously been cleared by police and the courts, and that female children had been ‘coaxed’ during a bitter family dispute.
They said Strike Force Rosann which probed the Tyrrell case, knew by January 2015 that a Supreme Court justice had cleared Mr Spedding and had ‘excoriated’ a witness.
That witness had ‘coaxed and tutored (children) to make claims of sexual assault against’ Mr Spedding, and the Tyrrell detectives were well aware of this, Mr Canceri said.
A forensic psychiatrist had testified that one of the children could have been coerced into claiming sexual assault because a threat of ‘potential death by AIDS could have frightened’ her.
The court heard that Mr Spedding was acquitted of the historical charges in 2018 despite the Director of Public Prosecutions pursuing a case against him that was ‘utterly hopeless and doomed to fail’.
![Former washing machine repairman Bill Spedding (above) is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution after being targeted as a suspect in sexual allegations of which he was cleared](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57045455-10753057-image-a-1_1650931672952.jpg)
Former washing machine repairman Bill Spedding (above) is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution after being targeted as a suspect in sexual allegations of which he was cleared
![Mr Spedding claims ex-cop Gary Jubelin 'had it in for him' and used the false allegations to nobble him as a suspect in the disappearance of William Tyrrell](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57044865-10753057-image-a-2_1650931682467.jpg)
Mr Spedding claims ex-cop Gary Jubelin ‘had it in for him’ and used the false allegations to nobble him as a suspect in the disappearance of William Tyrrell
![Mr Spedding's home was searched and media were tipped off five months after he visited the Kendall home from which William Tyrrell, aged three, vanished in September 2014](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57046841-10753057-image-m-4_1650931723568.jpg)
Mr Spedding’s home was searched and media were tipped off five months after he visited the Kendall home from which William Tyrrell, aged three, vanished in September 2014
Justice Ian Harrison told the court in a pre-trial hearing last week that Mr Jubelin was a ‘major player’ in the events which sparked the proceedings, although he was not personally being sued by Mr Spedding.
Lawyers for the State of NSW have been granted permission to rely on a statement by Mr Jubelin and possibly call the ex-cop to give evidence at the malicious prosecution trial.
The judge said Mr Spedding will argue Mr Jubelin ‘had it in for him’ during the Tyrrell investigation by Strike Force Rosann, which the since convicted and retired detective ran for four years before being removed in 2019.
‘Mr Spedding’s anticipated contention (will be) that during the course of a series of interactions or interviews with Mr Jubelin, he was referred to pejoratively as ‘Mr Washing Machine Man’,’ Justice Harrison said, the Daily Telegraph reported.
His Honour said Mr Spedding would rely on that ‘associated comments to a similar effect’ to contend ‘that Mr Jubelin effectively had it in for him’.
Justice Harrison also said Mr Spedding would contend that ‘his arrest and ultimate prosecution on the historical sexual assault matters was inspired or energised by Mr Jubelin’s role as the lead investigator in relation to the William Tyrrell disappearance’.
![William Spedding (above) before he became an alleged suspect in the William Tyrrell case, which caused him to lose his livelihood and family before he was cleared of any wrongdoing](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57047103-10753057-image-a-14_1650932359959.jpg)
William Spedding (above) before he became an alleged suspect in the William Tyrrell case, which caused him to lose his livelihood and family before he was cleared of any wrongdoing
![Detectives interview Bill Spedding, who was later cleared of both historical sexual charges and of any suspicion over William Tyrrell, and who is now suing the State of NSW](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57045445-10753057-image-a-5_1650931944114.jpg)
Detectives interview Bill Spedding, who was later cleared of both historical sexual charges and of any suspicion over William Tyrrell, and who is now suing the State of NSW
![Bill Spedding leaves his Bonny Hills home after he contends police tipped off the media when they searched for remains of William Tyrrell five months after the toddler vanished](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/04/26/01/57045463-10753057-image-a-6_1650932062967.jpg)
Bill Spedding leaves his Bonny Hills home after he contends police tipped off the media when they searched for remains of William Tyrrell five months after the toddler vanished
Mr Spedding denied any involvement in William Tyrrell’s disappearance and was never charged.
The court also heard that Mr Spedding was arrested at his home by Mr Jubelin while media crews were present ‘in abundance’.
Mr Spedding will argue the media had been notified by someone on behalf of the police and that the situation was orchestrated in order to embarrass him or to cause him serious harm, the court was told.
Justice Harrison said Mr Jubelin would presumably deny that he or police under his command had notified media outlets that the arrest was to occur after reading a draft statement provided to the court.
All charges against Mr Spedding in the unrelated matter were later dropped or dismissed.
Mr Jubelin was convicted and sentenced of four breaches of the Surveillance Devices Act and lost his appeal in 2020.
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