Cop makes big call on explosive investigation into claims over where William Tyrrell’s body could be

A former homicide cop has claimed one convicted pedophile should be forced to give evidence at the inquest into William Tyrrell’s disappearance.

Convicted pedophile Frank Abbott should be forced to give evidence at the inquest into William Tyrrell’s disappearance to determine whether or not he knows what happened to the three-year-old, a former NSW homicide detective says.

Contested claims that the late Jeffrey Abbott claimed his younger brother Frank told him “he did do it” and William is buried up on Big Bird Mountain, a well known area in Kendall on the NSW Central Coast, should be thoroughly investigated and the area searched, ex-detective Peter Hogan said.

The claims about Abbott, who was named a ‘person of interest’ to the investigation, are revealed today in the new episode of news.com.au’s investigative podcast Witness: William Tyrrell. Jeffrey apparently told another man that his brother Frank had said William was “buried up on Big Bird Mountain there, where the big tree is”.

One man who purportedly relayed this conversation to his father has since said he does not remember it taking place.

The Bird Tree is a well-known landmark in the area around Kendall, where William was reported missing in September 2014, sparking one of the biggest police investigations in Australian history.

New sources claim William's body is at The Big Bird Tree

Strike Force Rosann detectives searching for William Tyrrell's remains in scrub off Batar Creek Rd, less than 900m from the Tyrrell's former family home at Kendall in 2021. Picture News Corp. / Trevor Veale

William vanished from Benaroon Drive, which is a roughly 20-minute drive from the two trees, although the area has not been searched by police.

The inquest investigating William’s disappearance heard other claims about Abbott, including that he boasted about having killed the three-year-old and burying him in a suitcase but he was not questioned at the inquest, either in public or in private.

Mr Hogan said Frank Abbott “must be thoroughly investigated by police and he must be subpoenaed to give evidence at the Coronial Inquest”.

“A thorough investigative search is required to be conducted by police at Bird Tree to locate Williams’ remains, or rule out the location,” he said.

Frank Abbott when he was acquitted of murder. Picture: Dean Sewell

“You cannot simply ignore the possibility that he may or may not be buried there.”

The allegation is one of a series of shocking claims uncovered by a months-long investigation into Abbott, a former person of interest.

In prison for sexually assaulting two girls and a boy, Abbott has not responded to written questions from news.com.au and has privately denied any role in William’s disappearance.

A series of recorded prison phone calls suggest police did consider his potential involvement, however.

In these recordings, which were tendered to the inquest, Abbott can be heard saying the police think he “might have done this one”.

In another recorded call, he says detectives suggested Abbott “borrowed somebody’s car and went down, enticed [William] out with lollies and ice cream out of the

yard”.

Mr Hogan said the purpose of the Coronial Inquest is to determine what happened to William Tyrell and hopefully would result in him being returned to his family.

“I appreciate that people have come forward to speak on the podcast, but I implore those who did but have not spoken to police, to do so, provide a statement so your evidence is admissible,” he said.

William Tyrrell's foster father and mother leave the Downing Centre Court. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

“It’s important to know that hearsay evidence is admissible in a Coronial Court, so your evidence is vitally important to the Coronial Inquest and to bringing William home.

“The reality is, William has been missing for 10 years, the system has failed him, no stone should be left unturned, every line of inquiry has to be exhausted until William is found. To do anything less is unacceptable and an injustice to a little 3 year old boy.”

Mr Hogan and his former detective colleague Scott Rogan who co-host a podcast called Watching Two Detectives, agree the coroner needs to make sure this new evidence is aired and Abbott is questioned.

“Clearly the cops have looked at Abbott otherwise they wouldn’t have the phone calls,” Mr Rogan said.

“The inquest is the best place to thrash this out now. Let the system take its course and see what comes from it.”

Originally published as Cop makes big call on explosive investigation into claims over where William Tyrrell’s body could be