Henry Shepherdson heard pressuring Kobi’s mother to drop the charges in prison phone calls played to the court

Prison phone calls from a “narcissistic” murderer have been played to a court, where he is heard manipulating Kobi’s mother into dropping DV charges so he can come home.

The man who murdered Kobi Shepherdson can be heard saying in chilling recorded phone calls that he could never harm a child and all he wants to do is keep her safe.

Several prison phone calls from Shepherdson to Kobi’s mother were played to the court on Thursday, after he used deceptive methods to contact her from custody, despite a non-contact order being in place.

Detective Brevet Sergeant Paul Dawson told the court he listened to every one of the 149 calls made by a “narcissistic” Shepherdson who coerced, pressured and “completely manipulated” Kobi’s mother into dropping the domestic violence charges against him.

In a case that horrified the nation, Henry Shepherdson drove his nine-month-old daughter to Whispering Wall reservoir on April 21, 2021.

At 4.30pm, Shepherdson jumped off the 36m-high dam as witnesses watched in shock. Both died at the scene.

Murderous dad’s violent past revealed

Opening the inquest on Tuesday, counsel assisting Martin Kirby told the court Shepherdson had a history of domestic violence.

The court was told Shepherdson met Kobi’s mother, who moved to SA six months prior, on a dating app in 2019 and fell pregnant with Kobi after a month.

Mr Kirby said police first became involved in October 2020 after Shepherdson’s abuse of Kobi’s mother continued to worsen.

The court was told Shepherdson was arrested on December 16, 2020, for alleged offences against Kobi and her mother, including false imprisonment and threats to kill.

He was remanded in custody and a court order was served on him, preventing him from any contact with Kobi and her mother.

Kobi Shepherdson was nine months old when she was killed by her father in April 2021. Picture: SA Police

Kobi Shepherdson’s father was granted access to her despite his history of violence. Picture: SA Police

While Shepherdson was in custody he called Kobi’s mother 149 times – none of which were known to police or the court.

In February 2021, Kobi’s mother signed a form to have the charges dropped against Shepherdson and he was released in March.

The order continued at Kobi’s mother’s request but she eventually contacted police to have that withdrawn too.

The court was told the order was downgraded on April 21, 2021, at consent of prosecution, to allow Shepherdson to have contact with Kobi and her mother.

That same day Shepherdson arranged to spend time with Kobi before taking her to Whispering Wall. Kobi was attached to Shepherdson, 38, in a baby carrier when members of the public saw him jump from the popular tourist attraction near Williamstown in the Barossa Valley.

Members of the public tried to save baby Kobi, and emergency services found them working on her when they arrived. Shepherdson was found deceased.

“This was murder-suicide that shocked South Australians,” Mr Kirby said.

On Thursday, Shepherdson could be heard in a call to his sister – before any contact with Kobi’s mother took place – vehemently denying he threatened to kill Kobi, as well as inflicting blame for being in jail.

“Why would I want to be with someone who chose to f***ing make me do jail instead of sitting down with me and trying to work through the situation,” he tells her.

His sister then tells Shepherdson to stop thinking about himself as he’s the one that threatened to kill Kobi.

“That’s the charge, that doesn’t mean it happened,” he yells.

“Why would I name my kid after my idol and then threaten to kill her.

“I don’t even know if I could harm a child, let alone kill a f***ing child.”

In his first call to Kobi’s mother on January 31, 2021, Shepherdson can be heard continually apologising and lovebombing her, while blaming his actions on Tramadol – the pain medication he was abusing.

“The man that you fell in love with in the beginning is back,” he said.

“I need to come home to you guys.”

Shepherdson called her more than a dozen times that same day.

The Whispering Wall. Picture: Mike Burton

In another phone call on a later date, Shepherdson told Kobi’s mother that there was only way to avoid a criminal trial for his charges.

“My lawyer is going to have to make you look like a liar,” he said.

“I think the best case scenario … is to revoke everything, revoke the f***ing statement, everything.

“There’s no way I’m going to be found guilty because there’s no evidence to show that I am, it’s just you saying something.

Shepherdson then tells Kobi’s mother the court system was brutal and her name would be brought into disrepute.

“That’s the only way I’m f***ing going to do what’s best for me and my daughter and that’s not to go to f***ing jail,” he said.

“To look after her and keep her safe.”

In another call, Shepherdson can be heard “coaching” Kobi’s mother on what to say to prosecution to have the charges dropped and to not tell them they had been in contact or he would get into “big trouble”.

He then tells her he just wants to come home because he wants his family back.

“I’m not gonna lose my little girl and I’m not going to disappoint my little girl,” he said.

The inquest continues.