Commissioner stumbles again in double murder investigation

Karen Webb is forced to clarify her statement that she was ‘grateful’ to accused killer Beau Lamarre-Condon for the information that led police to the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has backed down on her statement that she was “grateful” to accused killer senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon for the information that led police to the bodies of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, amid renewed pressure over her leadership of the force.

Ms Webb stumbled in a press conference on Tuesday called to announce the discovery of the bodies, saying that “this ­information did come with the ­assistance of the accused, for which we’re very grateful and I’m sure the family is very grateful.”

One former police officer told The Australian: “All she needed to do was acknowledge the source; it sounds like you’re going to send him a birthday card.”

On Wednesday morning, Ms Webb was forced to clarify her remarks, telling Sky News: “I certainly am not perfect and I could always do things better but the comment around (being) grateful for the information - I’m not necessarily grateful to the accused but let me just put it this way, without that information we would still be searching.

“And really, yesterday was a watershed moment when we were actually able to tell the family that we had found Jessie and Luke and I think that’s an important distinction to make.”

Ms Webb has been under fire over her handling of the case, criticised for taking two days to ­release a statement about the case after a member of her force was charged with murder.

NSW One Nation MP Rod Roberts accused her of going into “hiding” over the delay.

Ms Webb was asked on Monday at her first press conference on the issue whether the delay was because of concerns over her leadership of the force.

“No, and that’s offensive,” she said, arguing she had been in front of a parliamentary estimates committee on Friday when Constable Lamarre-Condon was ­arrested, and at an LGBTIQ event on Saturday.

She snapped back at another reporter: “Where were you on Saturday?”

Luke Davies (left) and Jesse Baird (right) and Brokenwood Winery in the Hunter Valley, posted February 7, 2024. Picture: Instagram

Ms Webb left most of the questions at the press conference to be handled by deputy commissioner Dave Hudson.

During the conference she ­described the alleged murders as a “crime of passion”, a statement condemned by LGBTIQ groups.

Ms Webb later apologised, clarifying that it was a case of domestic violence and stalking, and that she was simply trying to distinguish it from a gay-hate crime.

‘It certainly wasn’t my intention to offend anyone … it was a crime not motivated by gay hate, but let’s be clear, it’s apparent, and we will allege it’s domestic violence, stalking and definitely murder,” she said.

Ms Webb faced fresh criticism on Tuesday after quoting Taylor Swift lyrics in an interview on Channel 7’s Sunrise program.

NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon handed himself into Bondi Police Station on Friday. Picture: Liam Mendes

Rejecting concerns about her leadership, Ms Webb told the program: “There will always be haters. Haters like to hate. Isn’t that what Taylor says?

“Like I said, the haters are gonna hate, and I’ve got the confidence of the Police Minister and the Premier.”

Ms Webb was involved in a stand-off after the Sunrise interview when she discovered that a Seven news reporter and cameraman were waiting outside the ­studio to talk to her.

It is understood Ms Webb felt she was being “ambushed” and ­refused to leave the studio for ­several minutes until assured the reporter would not confront her as she left the building.

Premier Chris Minns stood by his commissioner on Tuesday.

“I know that there’ll be of course criticism from time to time, but most people in this state want an effective police commissioner that is focused on fighting crime in NSW and that is what Karen Webb has done,” Mr Minns said.