Former William Tyrrell top cop Gary Jubelin enters witness box

The former lead detective in the William Tyrrell investigation has entered the witness box in a trial involving an ex-person of interest.

Former top cop Gary Jubelin has taken the stand in a trial involving an ex-person of interest in the William Tyrrell disappearance.

In explosive and highly anticipated evidence, Mr Jubelin agreed the man had his life destroyed after being charged with historical sexual assault allegations.

But the former lead detective in the case which has gripped the state for over seven years denied the allegations were manufactured as leverage.

Former washing machine repairman Bill Spedding is suing the State of NSW for malicious prosecution after he was charged over historical sexual assault allegations relating to two girls in the 1980s.

In the NSW Supreme Court, Mr Spedding, 70, is arguing that he was arrested and faced trial over the unrelated sexual assault allegations in an attempt apply pressure to him at a time when he was the prime suspect in William’s disappearance.

His lawyers told the court police were aware the allegations had previously been discounted in another court and the girls were pressured by adults to make up the claims.

Former top cop Gary Jubelin arriving at NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker.

He was ultimately cleared by a District Court judge in 2018, but by that time he had spent more than 50 days in custody and his reputation had been stained.

Mr Jubelin denied that Mr Spedding was charged as a “strategy” or that it was “inappropriate” to charge him with the historical sexual assault matters.

“The evidence gathered by the police investigating that complaint or offence was sufficient to warrant that person being charged,” Mr Jubelin told the court on Tuesday.

He added he would have been “held accountable” if Mr Spedding had not been charged.

“As a police officer, if we uncover an offence and investigate that offence, we don’t have the autonomy to say we don’t prefer a charge,” Mr Jubelin said.

William Spedding is suing the state of NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker.

Mr Spedding’s home and business were raided by members of Strike Force Rosann in January 2015 and he volunteered to take part in a police interview at Port Macquarie Police Station which lasted six hours, during which he denied having any involvement in William’s disappearance.

He has never been charged over the Tyrrell mystery.

He was linked to the case because he visited William’s foster grandmother’s home, at Kendall on the NSW Mid-North Coast, three days before the three-year-old was last seen alive in September 2014.

Mr Jubelin took charge of the Tyrrell investigation in February 2015 and by that time Mr Spedding was already a suspect.

Mr Jubelin told the court that one of his first tasks after taking over the strike force was looking into Mr Spedding’s alibi of being at a public school assembly on the morning William disappeared, with initial investigations proving “inconclusive”.

An inquest would later confirm Mr Spedding‘s’ alibi and clear him of any involvement in the Tyrrell abduction.

“A rough figure, of the 20 people we interviewed, his wife Margaret clearly supported he was at the assembly,” Mr Jubelin said.

“Of the other people - it could be 20, it could be more, it could be slightly less - there was only one person who said he recalled seeing Mr Spedding at the assembly on that day and I don’t think it was definitive.”

William Tyrrell disappeared from his foster grandparent’s home in 2014. Photo: NSW Police.

Asked by Mr Spedding’s barrister Adrian Canceri if the historical sexual assault allegations had “essentially destroyed him”, Mr Jubelin said: “I agree, it’s had a dramatic impact on him.”

“Afterwards he was seen as a paedophile,” Mr Canceri said.

“I think that’s fair comment, the amount of media attention on it,” Mr Jubelin said.

During his cross examination by Mr Canceri, Mr Jubelin was asked about whether during the investigation he had viewed several key pieces of evidence which suggested Mr Spedding was innocent of the sexual abuse allegations.

Mr Jubelin said at the time some of the evidence came to light, NSW Police no longer had carriage of the matter after it had been referred to the Department of Public Prosecutions.

One of the key pieces of evidence included a statement from a person - who was present when the assault was alleged to have occurred - who said another person had “made up” the claims.

He was also taken to two statements made by another witness which contained major inconsistencies.

Mr Jubelin was asked by Justice Harrison if he would have “pulled the plug” on the proceedings, had he been in control of the investigation at the time, in view of the conflicting statements.

“The weight that could be placed on that particular witness, and how that would impact on it, yes, it’s fair to say,” Mr Jubelin said.

The hearing continues.

Originally published as Former William Tyrrell top cop Gary Jubelin enters witness box