Is time finally up for mass murder ringleaders

Evidence about the financial state of the Whiskey Au Go Go club and meetings held before it was destroyed, which give rise to the possibility the attack was an “insurance job”, is expected to be revealed in an inquest.

The orchestrators of one of the country’s worst mass murders may have gone unpunished because police investigating the Whiskey Au Go Go arson put “very little effort” into solving the crime that witnesses allege was sparked by a dodgy insurance claim plot.

The shock revelations come as an inquest into the tragic deaths of 15 people at the Fortitude Valley nightclub in 1973 was reopened yesterday in an attempt to unravel the 48-year-old murder mystery.

The interior of the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub after the blaze.

Dozens of witnesses are expected to be called to give evidence including convicted triple murderer Vincent O’Dempsey and Australia’s most notorious crooked cop Roger Rogerson.

Counsel assisting the coroner Stephen Keim said the two-week inquest would hear evidence people had been forewarned of the arson attack and there were allegations the fire was an “insurance job”.

In the early hours of March 8, 1973, two barrels of fuel were rolled into the ground floor below the first floor Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub and set on fire, sparking a ferocious blaze that killed 15 people.

The victims aged from 17 to 51 died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they struggled to escape the inferno with some fleeing across rooftops from broken windows and others down a fire escape which led to a locked gate.

An inquest into the fire immediately began in the days that followed but it was adjourned after three days when James Finch and John Stuart were charged and later convicted of the arson and the murder of the fire’s youngest victim Jennifer Davie, 17.

James Finch.

No one else has ever been charged over the horrific arson attack despite evidence emerging over the past 48 years about the potential involvement of others.

During his opening address at the inquest which has been dormant for almost five decades, Mr Keim said there was a “significant” body of evidence that suggested convicted murderer Vincent O’Dempsey was one of the men responsible for the arson attack.

Vincent O'Dempsey in 1983

He said it was alleged O’Dempsey killed Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters less than a year after the fire to cover up his involvement.

O’Dempsey, who is serving a life sentence for the murders of Barbara and her two daughters Vicki, 13 and Leanne, 11, observed the first day of the inquest from the court dock. He is expected to be called as a witness during the hearings.

“It doesn’t appear to be suggested by most of (the) evidence that Mr O’Dempsey was present or active in the actual starting of the fire,” Mr Keim said.

“The suggestions concerning Mr O’Dempsey appear to be that he was involved in organising other people to carry out the attack.”

Investigators on scene at the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub.

He said one witness would recount evidence O’Dempsey was claimed to have told someone after Finch served his sentence and was deported to the United Kingdom: “If Finch comes back he could finger me for the Whiskey Au Go Go”.

Counsel assisting the coroner Avelina Tarrago said evidence would be put before the court that showed more people were potentially involved in the attack including boxer Thomas Hamilton and Barbara McCulkin’s husband Robert “Billy” McCulkin.

“If it were the case that Mr McCulkin and Mr Hamilton were involved in carrying out the arson murders at the Whiskey Au Go Go that would be an indictment of the police investigation immediately after the fire,” Ms Tarrago said.

“It seems clear that once Mr Finch and Mr Stuart were arrested very little effort was made to find out if other people were involved.

“At the very least no other arrests have ever been made.”

John Andrew Stuart.

Ms Tarrago said in 1988 Finch told a news reporter that his co-offender Stuart had manipulated him, flying him to Australia from the United Kingdom just nine days before the arson attack.

“Finch said Stuart had brought him out from England and had arranged for his accommodation in Australia, explaining to him the plan to attack the nightclub and dropped him off at a rendezvous with McCulkin and Thomas Hamilton who then carried out the attack with Finch,” she said.

“Mr McCulkin was identified as the driver and Hamilton

Billy McCulkin.

and Finch had dropped the drums and spread the petrol and Hamilton had lit the match.”

Evidence is also expected to be put before the court about the club’s financial state and meetings held before it was destroyed which gave rise to the possibility the attack was an “insurance job”.

“From this outline it can be seen that your honour is likely to have evidence to consider indicating that the motive for the attack was to claim insurance and a considerable number of people other than Stuart and Finch were responsible for the fire in that they contributed to arranging or planning it,” Ms Tarrago said.

“At the very least people knew the fire was going to happen.”

The inquest heard evidence a number of people were warned to stay away from the nightclub on the night of the fire.

The inquest before State Coroner Terry Ryan continues.