Strike force hope for Bronwyn Winfield breakthrough

In its first public response since the launch of a new investigative podcast, NSW Police says a strike force investigation into the suspected murder of Bronwyn Winfield is open and ongoing.

NSW mother Bronwyn Winfield disappeared in 1993.

Police say a strike force investigation into the suspected murder of missing mother Bronwyn ­Winfield is open and ongoing, and have called for anyone who can help to solve the cold case after 31 years to come forward.

In its first public response since the launch of The Australian’s new investigative podcast series, Bronwyn, the NSW Police Force said homicide detectives were involved in a “full ­review” of the case three years ago.

The review led to a reinvestigation under a dedicated strike force known as Chelmsbrook in 2022, but in the past decade there had been no new information or ­evidence that could resolve ­Bronwyn Winfield’s disappearance, police said.

“Throughout the reinvestigation, investigators have been in constant contact with the family of Bronwyn Winfield and continue to monitor for new information or evidence that may assist in progressing the matter,” a statement reads.

“As inquiries continue, police continue to appeal to anyone who may have information that could assist police to come forward. The priority of investigators is finding justice for Bronwyn and for her family.”

Bronwyn’s brother, Andy Read, had previously told the podcast that in a meeting with the ­unsolved homicide team earlier this month, detectives apologised for past mistakes but said they had since done all they could.

The podcast is delving deep into Bronwyn’s disappearance from Lennox Head on the NSW far north coast on May 16, 1993.

It was launched the week after the meeting.

“They basically said, well, their hands are tied: ‘We can’t do any more than what we’ve done and we don’t have any new evidence as it stands’,” Mr Read said.

However, any significant new lead could turn the case on its head, and several people with both direct and indirect information have been contacting The Australian.

The NSW police statement outlined some of the work conducted and steps taken since Bronwyn vanished.

“The investigation into the disappearance of Bronwyn Winfield commenced in 1993 by local police,” the police statement said.

“Since then, the matter has been subject to numerous ­reinvestigations, including in 1998, which resulted in the (Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) advising against proceedings in 2000.”

Former homicide detective Glenn Taylor started seriously ­investigating Bronwyn’s dis­appearance for the first time in 1998 after being approached by Mr Read, and his wife, Michelle, at Ballina police station.

The Reads were not happy with Bronwyn Winfield being treated as a missing person, and they believed there was more to her disappearance.

Mr Taylor has said that the prior initial police investigation was “disgraceful”, with “very little done”.

Bronwyn and Jon Winfield and their daughter Lauren.

Deputy state coroner Carl Milo­vanovich terminated an inquest after a week of hearings in 2002 and recommended a known person, Bronwyn’s estranged husband, Jon Winfield, be prosecuted over her alleged murder.

He is the last known person to see Bronwyn alive.

The couple was divorcing and Bronwyn had sought legal advice about dividing their assets.

Witnesses say, however, that she was devoted to her two daughters, then aged 10 and 5, and would not have willingly left them.

In 2003, the then-DPP,­ ­Nicholas Cowdery KC, declined to prosecute, citing insufficient evidence.

Mr Winfield has always denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance and has not been charged with any offence in connection to it.

NSW police said in their statement that they had “sought further advice from the DPP in 2008, before the DPP returned the matter back to the NSWPF for further investigation”.

Jon Winfield, now aged 69, surfing at Sharpes Beach. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

Police said in the statement that further submissions were made to the DPP in 2012.

In 2013, the DPP indicated in advice to police that “no proceedings to a charge would be taken without consideration of significant new material”.

The DPP confirmed that decision in 2014.

Police said they had not gone back to the DPP for advice on possible charges in the past 10 years.

“In 2021, a full review was conducted in co-ordination with the Unsolved Homicide Team attached to State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, which led police to initiate a reinvesti­gation in 2022,” their statement read.

“That investigation remains open and ongoing under Strike Force Chelmsbrook.

“Since the inquest in 2002, the matter has been referred to the DPP on at least three occasions.

“However, since the last advising in 2014, there has been no further information or evidence to progress the investigation or ­assist with further submissions to the DPP.”

As NSW DPP from 1994 to 2011, Mr Cowdery also repeatedly refused to prosecute former professional rugby league footballer Chris Dawson for the 1982 murder of his wife, now known as Lyn Simms at the request of her ­family.

In 2018, Mr Cowdery said the lack of a body or cause of death in the Dawson case made it “very weak”.

Dawson was subsequently convicted of Lyn Simms’s ­murder.

This does not mean, of course, that Mr Winfield was involved in his wife’s disappearance.

Now 78 and retired, Mr Cowdery has told The Australian that he could not recall the Winfield case but said his approach to the suspected murders of missing women would be “exactly the same” today.

Do you know something about this case? Contact Hedley Thomas confidentially at [e-mail]