William Tyrrell cop denies one-time suspect was told ‘we know you did it’

A detective investigating the William Tyrrell disappearance has denied that a one-time suspect was told “we know you did it” after a marathon interview.

A police officer who was investigating William Tyrrell’s disappearance denies ever hearing ex-lead detective Gary Jubelin ask a then suspect how he would dispose of a body, a court has heard.

Former washing machine repairman Bill Spedding has brought legal action against the state of NSW for malicious prosecution after he was charged and faced trial over unrelated historical sexual assault allegations.

Mr Spedding, 70, is arguing that he was arrested despite a lack of evidence in order to assist police in the Tyrrell inquiry after he was at one time the prime suspect in the young boy’s disappearance.

His lawyers have argued that police were aware the allegations, relating to two girls in the 1980s, had previously been investigated and that the girls were pressured by adults to make up the claims.

They have further claimed that Mr Spedding was verbally abused by officers during the Tyrrell investigation.

Detective Senior Constable Stephen King denied ever observing Gary Jubelin, the former detective in charge of the Tyrrell investigation, walk into a police interview room and ask Mr Spedding about disposing of a body.

“Inside that room, former detective inspector Jubelin said to the plaintiff, words to the effect of, ‘how you would dispose of a body’,” Mr Spedding’s barrister Adrian Canceri said on Monday.

“I don’t remember that being said at all.”

He was further asked whether Mr Jubelin had referred to Mr Spedding as “Mr Nice Washing Machine Man” and told him “I’m going to ruin you”.

While Detective King said he had heard Mr Jubelin use “Mr Nice Washing Machine Man” in a sarcastic and derogatory tone, he denied hearing him threaten to “ruin” Mr Spedding.

Mr Jubelin is expected to give evidence on Tuesday.

Bill Spedding is suing the state for malicious prosecution. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw.

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 separate interview with two officers at Port Macquarie Police Station that lasted six hours.

Afterwards, he was driven home around 11pm by Detective King and Detective Sergeant Justin Moynihan.

“I suggest to you on the way (to Mr Spedding’s residence) Detective Moynihan turned around and shouted to the plaintiff words to the effect of ‘We know you did it, we’re going to get you, I’m going to come and arrest you’,” Mr Canceri said on Monday.

“No,” Constable King replied.

Gary Jubelin is expected to give evidence on Tuesday. Picture: Lindsay Moller.

Constable King said Sergeant Moynihan turned around and said words to the effect of “We’re in town, we’re at Port Macquarie Police Station, you know where we are”.

He agreed with the assertion that Sergeant Moynihan sounded “angry” at the time.

Asked by Justice Harrison why Sergeant Moynihan would have used that tone, Constable King said: “I scratch my head, I have no idea why that needed to be said in that tone.”

He added that after the car ride Mr Spedding looked rattled and his voice was shaky.

Mr Spedding was at one point the prime suspect in the William Tyrell case after the three-year-old disappeared from a Kendall home on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

He has never been charged and has denied any wrongdoing.

He was linked to the case because he visited the foster grandmother’s home three days before William was last seen alive in September 2014.

At the time when Mr Spedding was interviewed by police, detectives had questions about his alibi of being at a public school event on the day of William’s disappearance, the court was told.

William Tyrrell disappeared from his foster grandmother’s home in 2014. Picture: Police Media

He was charged with historical sexual assault allegations before he was cleared by a District Court judge in 2018.

By that time he had spent more than 50 days in custody and is suing the state for damages after his mental health, reputation, business and family relationships all suffered.

Lawyers for the state have told the court that the historical sexual assault allegations were brought to the attention of police via an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers.

They have further said that police did not seek to unearth the complaint and denied creating “something out of nothing”.

The trial, before Justice Ian Harrison, continues.