$1 million reward but still ‘no justice’ for Bowraville kids
The angry families of three children murdered by a suspected serial killer have accused the NSW government of putting up a $1 million reward to shut them up after rejecting moves that could have put the suspect back before a court.
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The angry families of three children murdered by a suspected serial killer have accused the NSW government of putting up a $1 million reward to shut them up after rejecting moves that could have put the suspect back before a court.
The reward was increased from $250,000 today for information over the murders of the three Bowraville children almost 30 years ago.
It came after Attorney-General Mark Speakman personally briefed the families of four-year-old Evelyn Greenup, Clinton-Speedy Duroux, 16 and Colleen Walker-Craig, 16, on Tuesday about the government’s decision not to support proposed reforms that would have widened the state’s double jeopardy laws.
It was the fate of the three Aboriginal children that led to the overturning of the NSW’s double jeopardy laws, which had blocked anyone being retried following an acquittal.
A local man, 54, who cannot be named, became the first person in the country to be charged twice for the same murder.
He had been charged and acquitted in 1994 of the murder of Clinton, who was last seen alive in the man’s caravan, and in 2006 he was acquitted of the murder of Evelyn, who was abducted after a party at her mother’s house attended by the man.
No-one has been charged with the murder of Colleen, who disappeared on the night she had been invited to sleep in the man’s caravan.
Police laid fresh charges against the man three years ago but the Court of Criminal Appeal threw them out after finding there was no “fresh and compelling” evidence, which was required under the law. The High Court refused special leave to appeal.
Mr Speakman said the government would not be supporting proposals from the University of Technology Sydney’s Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research put forward by Greens MP David Shoebridge to widen the rule for new evidence so a retrial could be considered if there was evidence that was simply never brought before a jury.
Mr Speakman said it would be “oppressive justice” and was unlikely to make any difference in this case anyway.
“I expect that, on the current evidence, any retrial application would fail, regardless of the proposed reforms,” the attorney-general said today.
“The impact of the government’s decision on the Bowraville families has weighed heavily on me. The decision will bitterly disappoint them. For that, I am very sorry.”
Leonie Duroux, the sister-in-law of Clinton, said the families were devastated that there were no more legal avenues to try and get justice.
“The evidence is there, the court said we just can’t use it,” Ms Duroux said today. “I think they have given us a million dollar reward to shut up.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said rewards could be the final motivation needed for someone to speak with police.
“I believe this reward gives us an opportunity to appeal to those who know what happened to Evelyn, Clinton and Colleen, but may have been reluctant to talk to detectives in the past,” Mr Fuller said.
“We will continue to stand alongside the children’s families and the Bowraville community in the pursuit of justice.”
The case, which had been investigated by Strike Force Ancud led by former Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin, has been referred to the Unsolved Homicide unit.