Broke Falconio cop leaves NT after ‘witch-hunt’ destroyed reputation

The dogged former cop who hunted down Peter Falconio killer Bradley Murdoch has been forced to leave the territory after a police investigation left her broke and destroyed her reputation.

Colleen Gwynne is the former senior cop who took down Peter Falconio's killer, Bradley Murdoch. Picture: Helen Orr

The dogged former cop who hunted down Peter Falconio killer Bradley Murdoch and went on to expose systemic child abuse in the Northern Territory has been forced to sell her house and leave the Territory after a four-year police investigation that left her broke and ­destroyed her reputation.

Former Northern Territory children’s commissioner Colleen Gwynne was left unemployed and humiliated after an unprecedented criminal investigation in which her mobile phone was bugged, her private emails opened, her bank accounts audited and the home she shared with her children put under surveillance.

Colleen Gwynne with her children, from left, Trudi (22), Jayden (13) and Hayley (10). Picture: Helen Orr

The investigation and prosecution of Ms Gwynne, which ended in the case being thrown out of court earlier this year, is ­believed to have cost Territory taxpayers more than $1m.

The then-commissioner was alleged to have tried to hire friend Laura Dewson as her assistant, a position for which Ms Dewson had been deemed suitable by an independent panel.

Ms Gwynne gave Ms Dewson the job over the panel’s preferred candidate after she had taken ­ advice from lawyers within the Attorney-General’s Department and the Territory Solicitor.

A criminal case was mounted against Ms Gwynne and continued even after investigating police from the Territory’s ultra-secretive Special Reference Unit privately acknowledged that if she had got advice from the Solicitor for the NT “the whole job is gone”.

The case was dismissed in the NT Supreme Court when prosecutors were forced to admit they couldn’t prove the charge.

There are calls for an inquiry into the conduct of the investigation and prosecution, including how police were able to obtain such intrusive and extensive bugging and surveillance warrants.

“For what was essentially a human resources matter they just went for her with such vigour and ferocity, and you’ve got to ask – why?” Independent MP Kezia Purick said.

“Why were the police so ­obsessed with getting Colleen Gwynne? She’s obviously upset someone within the police force – or they’re holding a longtime grudge.”

In an answer to a question on ­notice in June by Ms Purick, the NT Police Commissioner claimed the cost of the Gwynne investigation, including the salaries of four senior investigators over four years, overtime, interstate flights, surveillance costs, hundreds of hours of transcription of taped calls, hotel and car hire costs, came to just $206,500.

“That’s clearly not right,” Ms Purick says. “I’d say easily it would have cost a million.”

Several government and police sources have told The Australian the cost would have been more than $1m.

Independent MP Kezia Purick. Picture: Floss Adams

Independent MP Robyn Lambley. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Another NT independent MP, Robyn Lambley, also wants an ­inquiry into the way the case against Ms Gwynne was pursued.

“You know, they – whoever they are – destroyed her. They got her,” Ms Lambley said.

“Most of us who’ve been around for more than 10 minutes were quite shocked that this woman who had broken the Falconio case was suddenly being thrown out on her ear for some very confusing allegations.

“As little bits and pieces dribbled out it looked more like a witch-hunt.”

Ms Lambley asked in budget estimates in April how much the NT Director of Public Prosecutions had spent on the case. The NT Attorney-General said $263,316 had been spent on interstate barristers’ costs but would not supply the costs of its own staff and resources, which it claimed it “does not typically identify”.

When The Australian asked for the costs to the DPP of the proceedings, specifically including the costs of its own staff and ­resources, the DPP again claimed the total amount was $263,316.

Ms Lambley said those discrepancies – “smoke and mirrors” – should also be investigated.