Gravedigger Brett Mackay hits out after being cleared over corpse photos claims
BRETT Mackay’s past month has resembled a waking nightmare, after a malicious and false vendetta saw him transform from anonymous suburban father to reviled public enemy number one.
- Gravedigger cleared: Investigation closed on cemetery case
READ BELOW: Accuser refused to talk to police
BRETT Mackay’s past month has been a nightmare after what he says was a malicious and false vendetta which saw him transform from anonymous suburban father to public enemy No. 1.
Publicly “prosecuted, found guilty and hung” over heinous reports he had taken photos of decomposing bodies in his work as a gravedigger at Cheltenham Cemetery, Mr Mackay has spoken of his despair and frustration in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail.
The 47-year-old northern suburbs father-of-two has no job, been abused on Facebook and even considered taking his own life after his name and face were plastered across the media as a ghoulish freak.
Now he just wants to return to his old job with the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority. “It’s been very devastating for us as a family, my kids have had to attend school and see that their Dad has been through all of this, so they’ve obviously been upset,” Mr Mackay said on Saturday.
The avid cricketer, angler and former harness-racing driver said the disbelief and frustration at being accused of such a vile act had left him fearful of leaving his northern suburbs home.
“I’ve had lots of hate on social media, people that I’ve known on social media were calling me disturbed and that sort of stuff, which is extremely hurtful because I knew it’s not true,” he said.
“I went to the shops with my wife and I felt like basically everyone was looking at me and judging me, so it’s had a profound effect on us all.”
Police have now revealed that a person who called CrimeStoppers to report Mr Mackay for allegedly photographing skulls, bones and bodies at the cemetery had refused to repeat the claims to detectives.
Mr Mackay said he fully co-operated with police because he knew the claims were lies, before a search of his phone and other devices showed no evidence to support the claims.
He said he was almost positive the fake report was made by another man he had been involved in a dispute with, unrelated to his job with the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority — but still could not believe anyone could stoop to such depths.
“I’m really angry at the person who I think is responsible for this. That they could be such a nasty, narcissistic human being to do this to a young family is beyond comprehension,” he said. “I’ve lost everything here, and maybe who did this should be prosecuted.”
Mr Mackay became emotional as he recalled being asked to appear before Adelaide Cemeteries Authority chiefs and confronted with the allegations on March 17. He said his first concern was for the reputation of his employer, who he believed was left with little option but to act given the shocking nature of the lies.
“I didn’t want to bring the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority’s reputation into question and I didn’t want to jeopardise their integrity so I stepped away because I thought that would be the best option for them,” he said. “I didn’t want to resign but I felt I had no choice because I could understand that faced with those allegations they would’ve had no option but to terminate me.”
Mr Mackay then gained casual work with a council, but when the story broke on TV on March 27, all hell broke loose and he was told not to come back the next day.
“It was absolutely horrendous — just shock and horror that it had gone to the media,” he said. “It was just total disbelief that it had gone to that level, both me and my wife were shattered.”
Mr Mackay said he was unsure how he would have coped without the support of his wife, Deanne, his children and other family and friends.
“I don’t know if I would still be here because it has crossed my mind, when I was going through the depths of being at my lowest point, that maybe I’m better off not being here,” he said.
Mr Mackay said he had chosen to speak out to tell his side of the story and “show people that’s not who I am”. “I was very proud of my work at the cemetery and I took it seriously. I dealt with people every day who were mourning and crying and I always tried to comfort them,” he said.
“And then to see stories about me opening coffins and taking pictures of people’s loved ones — that is so far from the truth it’s not funny.”
Mr Mackay said he wanted to rejoin his old workmates at the cemetery and be able to hold his head high again.
“I just want to go back to what it was like before, when I was working and things were normal, but I don’t think things are ever going to be normal for me again,” he said.
Mr Mackay thanked his lawyer, Dimitrios Georgiadis, who has been in talks with Adelaide Cemeteries Authority chiefs over the past few days.
“What is driving me is for Brett to clear his name publicly and I really want him to get his job back,” Mr Georgiadis said.
Despite his exoneration, Mr Mackay said he would live with the nagging doubt that many would still doubt his innocence.
“The cat’s among the pigeons now and it’s very hard to change people’s minds when they believe something,” he said.
Accuser refused to talk to police
By Nigel Hunt
THE man who claimed a Cheltenham Cemetery colleague took photos of human corpses before they were buried would not repeat the allegation to detectives, it can be revealed.
Although the man is suspected of contacting Crime Stoppers and talking to a TV station, it is understood he declined to co-operate with detectives.
And the Sunday Mail can also reveal that when detectives searched Brett Mackay’s mobile phone, no images were found — and none had been deleted.
Mr Mackay co-operated fully with detectives.
A source said despite a “thorough’’ investigation, detectives could not find anyone who had seen any images of corpses as was alleged.
“There is no evidence whatsoever to support what has been claimed. No colleagues, associates or friends of Mackay have seen any images,’’ the source said.
Police launched an investigation after the anonymous call to Crime Stoppers on March 15 and Mr Mackay resigned from work two days later.
Attorney-General John Rau said he was “extremely concerned’’ about the effect the incident had on relatives and friends of people buried at the cemetery.
“There is no evidence to support the allegations, which were both serious and disturbing,” he said.