Gary Jubelin trial: William Tyrrell’s foster mum feared oblivion of ‘cold case box’

William Tyrrell’s foster mother has told a court that the former head of homicide in NSW said the case was ‘going to unsolved’.

William Tyrrell’s foster mother was told his files would be sent to the ‘cold case’ room by the former NSW Police head of homicide, a court has heard.

In harrowing scenes, William Tyrrell’s foster mother has recounted for a Sydney court a “shocking” conversation she says she had with the former head of homicide in NSW, Scott Cook, about the dis­appearance of her foster son.

Through tears, she said she begged Mr Cook not to give up on William, now missing for more than five years. She said he assured her he would be sending the files to the cold case room as soon as the coronial inquest was over.

Former NSW Police head of homicide Scott Cook. Picture: John Grainger

William’s foster mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was testifying at the trial of former homicide detective Gary Jubelin, 57, who led the investigation into William’s disappearance for four years.

Mr Jubelin is accused of recording four conversations with a possible suspect, Paul Savage, without obtaining the proper warrant.

He has painted a picture throughout his testimony of a strike force bedevilled by equipment failure, burnt-out detectives and few leads.

He detected in 2018 a desire by top brass to flick the file to cold case. He has said Mr Cook, on seeing the picture of William he kept on a big pole at his desk, said: “Nobody cares about that kid.”

Paul Savage denies any involvement William Tyrrell’s disappearance, and there’s no evidence he was involved. Picture: AAP

The court has been told Mr Cook “emphatically denies” making that statement.

William’s foster mother, who has been present for most of Mr Jubelin’s trial, told the court on Thursday she was “angry” about police handling of the case, in the year since Mr Jubelin was charged with misconduct. She detected a distinct lack of interest from Mr Cook, which she said was confirmed when she finally met him, at the inquest into William’s dis­appearance, in March 2019.

“It was midweek, I think the Wednesday,” she said. “I was introduced (to Mr Cook, then NSW homicide commander) and after the pleasantries, Mr Cook said to me: ‘You are not the only families of victims of crime.’

“I stopped and looked at him.

“I said: ‘No, but you are at the inquest of one of those victims.’

“He said, ‘William is not our only case’.”

She sought to remind him: “He was three years old”, and had disappeared from “a street with probably 20 houses on it … I don’t think you’ve got another case like that, and I don’t think you can just give up on it.

“He made no reply. I then asked him: ‘Are you planning on taking it to cold cases?’

“He said, ‘Yes, it’s going to unsolved’. He said ‘It has to go to unsolved, that’s the process’.”

She said she feared the case would “sit in a box” and every six months somebody would take the lid off and say: “Oh, nothing new.”

“He’s looking at me and he’s nodding,” she said.

“I’m thinking: I can’t believe you are saying this to his parents. We see ourselves as his parents, we raised him … I’m angry,” she said.

Mr Jubelin says he recorded the conversations to protect his lawful interests. He said there was always a risk Mr Savage might commit suicide, and he would be blamed.

Crown prosecutor Phil Hogan suggested Mr Jubelin had repeatedly lied to the court. “You claimed Mr Cook said: ‘No one cares about that kid.’ You must have found that an outrageous comment.”

Mr Jubelin agreed.

“You didn’t make a note of it?”

“No.”

“You didn’t make a ­complaint?”

“I thought it was inappropriate … but I can’t go around, wasting my time on matters like that.”

“I suggest … you didn’t because he never said it. You are lying.”

“I totally disagree.”

“You are lying about saying you are protecting your lawful interests in order to avoid responsibility for these charges.”

“No, I’m not.”

Mr Hogan suggested to Mr Jubelin he had bullied and belittled Mr Savage in the hope of gaining a confession from the man, who lived across the road from the house from where William disappeared in September 2014.

The trial is continuing.