Gary Jubelin concerned by current state of William Tyrrell investigation

The former lead investigator into the William Tyrrell disappearance has questioned the motives behind the police decision to ask the DPP to pause their review into potential evidence against the foster mother.

Police have asked prosecutors to pause their review of potential evidence against William Tyrrell’s foster mother. Pic Police Media

The former lead investigator in the William Tyrrell case says the public has the right to be confused after police asked prosecutors to pause their review of the potential evidence against the foster mother.

A brief of evidence against the woman was given to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in mid-2023 for advice on the strength of the evidence and the likelihood of a conviction.

But this week police withdrew their request and instead asked the DPP to wait and look at the evidence after the inquest goes ahead in November.

Lawyers representing William Tyrrell’s foster parents will now meet with the NSW Deputy Coroner Harriet Grahame for a directions hearing “at a date yet to be announced” to see what happens next.

Gary Jubelin, who left the police force five years ago over his handling of the Tyrrell investigation, said “something just does not seem right”.

Gary Jubelin, the former lead investigator into the disappearance of William Tyrrell, says he is concerned how the disappearance into William Tyrrell’s disappearance is being run. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“You have the coroner on one hand saying she can’t conclude the inquest until the report to the DPP is done. Then you have the police saying they don’t want it concluded until after the inquest. Yes, I am confused, like I believe other members of the public are.”

Jubelin said he would prefer to sit on the sidelines but he made a commitment to William’s biological and foster families to “do everything possible” to find out what happened to William.

“That commitment did not end when I left the police,” he said. In response to questions, he said he was “concerned how this investigation is being run”.

The Tyrrell foster parents enter court. Jubelin says he has committed to the parents that he will do all he can to find out what happened to Williams. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“Senior police have said they know what has happened to William and they have said there is only one suspect,” Jubelin said.

“The public have watched one person being hung out. That person was cleared as a suspect prior to me taking over the lead four months into the investigation. That person was also cleared as a suspect during the four years I led the investigation. Coincidentally, that person became a suspect after they gave evidence supporting me at my criminal hearing and criticised senior police for their handling of the matter.”

The last major search for William in November, 2021, close to where he disappeared. Picture News Corp. / Trevor Veale

Jubelin was convicted and fined $10,000 after a magistrate found he “acted illegally” when he recorded conversations with a person of interest in the toddler’s disappearance between November 2017 and December 2018.

At a Directions Hearing in February this year the Deputy State Coroner said the inquest could not proceed until the DPP had determined whether it had sufficient evidence for charges.

“This week like other members of the public I have heard the police have now requested the DPP to put a hold on their request to determine if there is sufficient evidence to charge this person … I am sorry, but something just does not seem right,” he said.

No one has ever been charged and the boy’s foster mother denies any involvement in his disappearance.

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