Russell St bomber Minogue protests innocence over teen Prue Bird’s murder, but mother Jenny Bird rejects offer to meet
UPDATE: THE mother of a murdered schoolgirl whose body was never found rejects convicted Russell St bomber and prime suspect’s online offer to “explain the facts” in person.
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THE mother of schoolgirl Prue Bird, who was murdered and her body never found, has rejected a prime suspect’s online offer to “explain the facts” in person.
And Jenny Bird says Russell St bomber Craig Minogue’s website should be shut down, despite her desperate desire for answers, saying the post was timed to coincide with a bid for parole.
And she says there remains strong connections between Minogue and her daughter’s murder despite his protests of innocence.
Minogue has posted an online rant calling for a sit-down meeting with Ms Bird.
Two-time killer and armed robber Minogue has painted himself as a victim of authorities as he publicly denies having any part in the disappearance and death of Prue Bird from Glenroy in 1992.
Notorious Bega schoolgirl killer Leslie Alfred Camilleri last year admitted killing 13-year-old Prue.
Police suspect Minogue was behind having the girl killed by Camilleri and the late career criminal Mark McConville.
They believe the motive was revenge against a relative of Prue who gave evidence which led to Minogue being convicted over the Russell St bombing in 1986.
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Evil Minogue, writing on his website, has claimed his thoughts and sympathies are with Prue’s grieving mother Jenny.
“If Jenny Bird would like to contact me and meet me in person, then I would be more than willing to offer her my sympathy and explain the facts associated with my having no involvement in the disappearance of her daughter and explain how she has been re-victimised by people acting corruptly for their own personal motives which have nothing to do with justice for her or her daughter,” he said.
Minogue went on to say police who were in the force at the time at Russell St had “powerful personal motivation to drag me down”.
“The police have a vested interest in keeping the real and imagined versions and my role as an evil spectre alive in the public imagination,” he said.
Minogue said he had never had any contact with Camilleri or McConville and was the victim of lies and urban myths.
Detectives in 2012 were granted permission to interview Minogue over Prue’s killing.
“There are people who have a short-sighted and selfish vested interest in keeping me down as the bad guy when I am trying to rise up and transcend my past mistakes,” Minogue said in online posts last year. “I am trying to make good and they are trying to make me bad.”
Young policewoman Angela Taylor died in the car bomb blast outside the former Russell St police complex.
Paul Hetzel, the boyfriend of Prue’s grandmother, later gave witness statements against Minogue to detectives investigating the crime. But Minogue said Hetzel’s evidence resulted in no conviction for him.
But speaking today on 3AW, Ms Bird rejected the offer.
“When I first heard about the website and I read it, there part of me that wanted to go in, because I’m still searching for answers,” she told Neil Mitchell’s program today.
“I also know he has an agenda, to be saying he did not have any involvement with Prue. ”
“I believe he is due for parole and he is making himself out to be Mr wonderful and (that) he is a poster boy for Correctional Services.”
Ms Bird maintained that her daughter’s death had a revenge motive.
“I believe it was a Russell Street bombing payback. I know the facts of the case. I know that I identified Rodney Minogue being outside my home the week prior to Prue disappearing,”
“I know that Prue’s boyfriend family had relatives that were close friends of Craig Minogue and Rodney and moved into that street prior to Prue disappearing,”
“Prue had complained on the Thursday about being followed. There is just so much that just hasn’t come out,”
“Prue always needed a taskforce and it never ever happened,”
Ms Bird told the station it was time to end Minogue’s ability to project his views to the outside.
“I think it should be able to be shut down. I don’t think prisoners like him should have any rights at all. It is very confusing for families and victims.
“I only read one page because it just confuses me.
“I just want the answers and I just wish someone was willing to give them,”
Ms Bird said she had considered meeting Minogue.
“I did for some seconds, but then what’s he going to tell me?”
“I don’t know that he was behind it (the disappearance of Prue) himself but I do know that there are a lot of facts that point to the Russell Street bombing.”
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