Gary Jubelin trial: ‘I woke up a criminal today. I’m devastated.’

Convicted William Tyrrell detective Gary Jubelin says the destruction of his reputation and integrity is what hurts most.

“I’ve woken up this morning a convicted criminal, not a situation I thought I’d ever find myself in. And I’m devastated by it.”

That’s the former homicide detective, Gary Jubelin, in his first interview since being found guilty on four conducts of misconduct, while leading the investigation into the disappearance of William Tyrrell.

Mr Jubelin was fined a total of $10,000 on Wednesday for recording four conversations with the Tyrrell family’s elderly neighbour Paul Savage in 2017 and 2018.

At the time, Mr Savage was a person of interest after three-year-old William vanished in September 2014 while playing at his foster grandmother’s home in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast.

No one has been charged over William’s disappearance. Mr Savage denies any involvement.

Mr Jubelin also had a conviction recorded against his previously unblemished name, which will make it impossible for him to work in many industries, and perhaps to travel to countries like the USA.

But, he told 2GB’s Alan Jones this morning, “any punishment, it’s my reputation that has taken the biggest hit. My integrity.”

He said he respected the decision of the court: “And do I wish I didn’t record those conversations? Yeah.” But, he said, he wanted to protect his own interests. He knows that police are often accused of harassment, and he wanted to be sure that he had his own side of the conversation on the record.

But it’s not allowed, under the law. The other person has to consent.

Mr Jubelin resigned shortly after the allegations of misconduct were made. He has lodged an appeal.

He doesn’t want to be “someone who comes across with a dislike for the NSW Police … but there were certain senior officers that I think had an agenda,” he said.

“I’ve been a police officer for 34 years, I haven’t seen other people treated the same way I had been treated.

“I wasn’t even allowed to go back into my office to get my personal belongings.”