Vincent O’Dempsey, Garry Dubois sentenced over murder of Barbara McCulkin and daughters

UPDATE: Garry Dubois and Vincent O’Dempsey will likely spend the rest of their lives behind bars after being jailed for killing the McCulkin family more than 40 years ago, after dramatic scenes in court today.

Vincent O’Dempsey has been found guilty of the murders of Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters, who disappeared from their Brisbane home more than four decades ago.

GARRY Dubois and Vincent O’Dempsey will likely spend the rest of their lives behind bars after being jailed for killing the McCulkin family more than 40 years ago.

It follows a dramatic hearing in which O’Dempsey proclaimed to the court he was innocent of the crimes and had never had the “slightest reason” to harm Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters.

Graham Ogden, brother of Barbara McCulkin and uncle to Leanna and Vicki, outisde court after the sentencing.

Justice Applegarth warned those listening to treat O’Dempsey’s words with the merit they deserved — “coming from someone who has been convicted of three murders”.

In handing down the life sentences, Justice Applegarth said the “last hours of the lives of these three defenceless women must have been terrifying”.

He labelled O’Dempsey a “cold-blooded killer” who traded on his reputation and instilled fear in others.

“You murdered a defenceless woman, you are a child-killer. You are beyond redemption,” he said to O’Dempsey.

Turning his attention to Dubois, he told the man he showed no conscience at all — and “did not raise a finger in opposition”.

He said he was unable to set a minimum non-parole period, in light of the legislation from 1974.

He said it was likely both men would die in jail.

Brian Ogden spoke on behalf of the family, relatives of the McCulkins.

“When each of you dies, your family will know where your [graves or ashes are],” he said.

“In contrast, the friends and family of your victims cannot visit their graves.”

FIVE-PART SPECIAL REPORT BY MATTHEW CONDON

CHAPTER 1: The gangster’s wife

CHAPTER 2: Mass murder at Whiskey Au Go Go

CHAPTER 3: The night a family vanished

CHAPTER 4: The murder of Mrs X and her children

CHAPTER 5: Return to Dorchester Street

Dubois then had to be removed from the courtroom following an outburst in court.

As Justice Applegarth delivered the sentence, Dubois called out from the prisoner’s dock that he had never spoken to the police.

Justice Applegarth asked him to maintain his silence, however Dubois continued to shout out from the dock.

“You had your chance at trial, now shut up,” Justice Applegarth said.

He ordered correction staff to remove Dubois from the courtroom after Dubois refused to be quiet.

Vincent O'Dempsey.

Outside court, McCulkin relatives the Ogden family said, after a 43-year wait for justice, the killers “are now being held accountable”.

They said Dubois and O’Dempsey’s protests of innocence in court were the actions of “desperate men as they realise they spend the rest of their lives in prison”.

“No sentence can bring our loved one’s back but it’s important to us and the community that they are held accountable,” they said.

O’Dempsey’s solicitor, Terry O’Gorman, also addressed media outside.

“I would like to acknowledge the grief and the angst that the McCulkin family have been through,” he said.

“My client today continued to maintain his innocence.”

He took aim at “the system” as well as the media coverage concerning the reporting of the “nature and character” of main witnesses in the case.

“I implore you to get the message out that the system of law in this state allows a person to be convicted of three multiple murders on the basis of a person who gives evidence from the grave who cannot and has not been able to be cross-examined before this jury,” he said

He said they had another 14 days to consider lodging an appeal.

O’Dempsey’s solicitor, Terry O’Gorman, said his client today maintained his innoncence and slammed the system.

EARLIER:

CONVICTED murderer Vincent O’Dempsey wrote a note protesting his innocence, which a judge has labelled as “completely unconvincing” and a “complete absence of remorse”.

The development came as the sentencing hearing for O’Dempsey and Garry Dubois over the killings of Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters more than 40 years ago got under way today.

Mrs McCulkin and children Vicky, 13, and Leanne, 11, vanished from their Highgate Hill house in January 1974, and it became one of Queensland’s most high-profile cold cases.

After declining to speak when he was convicted last Friday, the Brisbane Supreme Court today heard O’Dempsey and Dubois have penned notes and now both wished to address the court.

Standing in the dock of the Brisbane Supreme Court, O’Dempsey has proclaimed his innocence,

declaring he has been “wrongly convicted” of the McCulkin family murders and didn’t have the “slightest reason” to harm the McCulkins.

He also denied having had any “involvement or personal knowledge of any arsons” such as the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub fire or the Torino blaze.

Barbara McCulkin’s nephew Brian Ogden delivered to the court a victim impact statement written by his father Graham Ogden. Picture: Glenn Hunt/AAP

He claimed he had been “wrongly convicted” of the murders based on “false testimony” that “lacked substance” and “were completely untrue”.

Prosecutor David Meredith said O’Dempsey’s note “just an attempt to affect public opinion rather than say what [O’Dempsey] felt at the time”.

Justice Peter Applegarth said O’Dempsey’s note was a “long-form” protestation of his innocence and demonstrative of a “complete lack of remorse”.

“My view is anyone who hears this will treat it with the merit it deserves — coming from someone who has been convicted of three murders,” he said.

A victim impact statement written by Mrs McCulkin’s brother Graham Ogden, read aloud by his son Brian, detailed the shock he felt after the charges were dropped ahead of a trial in the 1980s due to insufficient evidence.

He said he became less trusting of authoritative figures as the trail ran cold.

But he paid tribute to the police officers who renewed the murder investigation several years ago, leading to the men’s convictions.

He echoed the family’s wish for the McCulkin’s remains to be found so they could finally be laid to rest.

Describing Mrs McCulkin as a kind and bubbly woman with a slightly “wicked” sense of humour, he said she used to speak about her two daughter’s achievements with maternal pride.

“She provided a stable home life with the resources she had,” he wrote.