Rachel Antonio: Never-before-seen police interview with accused murderer Robert Hytch

FOR a man who police would accuse of murdering schoolgirl Rachel Antonio, Robert Hytch was incredibly calm, as a never-before-seen police interview reveals.

FOR a man who police would accuse of murder, Robert Hytch was incredibly calm.

A detective told him he was not under arrest and could leave at any time, but he stayed.

The officer said he didn’t have to say anything, but he kept talking.

Mr Hytch was alone, with the full force of a major police investigation coming towards him like a freight train.

Detective: “Do you wish to have anyone present here.”

Hytch: “Well, I was gonna have me mother.”

MORE: Family say they know where Rachel’s body is

Detective: “Well, she is currently in talking to Scott (his brother). Do you wish to have her here?”

Hytch: “No, no.”

Detective: “Are you sure about that?”

Hytch: “Yes.”

Robert Hytch (second from right) is interviewed by police following the disappearance of Rachel Antonio. Supplied

Days earlier, schoolgirl Rachel Antonio had vanished after her mother had dropped her off to see a movie at her local cinema in Bowen on Anzac Day, 1998.

Mr Hytch has always denied having anything to do with Rachel’s disappearance.

He says they were no more than friends.

In fact, in his police interview he at first said they barely spoke.

He was 25. She was 16.

But police believed there was more to their relationship than the handsome 6ft 2in lifesaver was letting on.

Video and audio of Mr Hytch’s police interviews can be made public after coroner David O’Connell released the brief of evidence from the case to The Courier-Mail, following a formal request.

Rachel dressed in her air force cadet uniform in February 1998.

The recordings will be played in a new podcast series, Searching for Rachel Antonio, which begins today.

A few days after his initial police interview, Mr Hytch returned to Bowen station to be interrogated again. This one was filmed, and he had a lawyer with him but again, he was told he did not have to respond to questions.

Sitting between two detectives and a lawyer, he kept his hands together between his legs and answered questions in a soft voice.

There has been nothing but more questions ever since.

Episodes of Searching for Rachel Antonio will be released each Monday.

Follow the bold links to listen:

iPhone or iPad users search for “rachel antonio podcast” on iTunes — by clicking subscribe, each weekly episode will appear on your podcast app.

Android users can listen by following The Courier-Mail on SoundCloud at soundcloud.com/couriermail.