Former homicide detective Ron Iddles sues Victoria Police over alleged phone tap smear campaign

Decorated homicide detective Ron Iddles has dropped a bombshell in the lead up to the retrial of Jason Roberts, who was acquitted of killing two police officers.

Decorated homicide detective Ron Iddles has dropped a bombshell in the lead up to the retrial of Jason Roberts, who was acquitted of killing two police officers. Picture: Foxtel

EXCLUSIVE: Former homicide detective Ron Iddles has launched legal action over suspicions police tapped his phone in an attempt to smear his reputation.

A writ was lodged in the Victorian Supreme Court on Mr Iddles’ behalf on Thursday seeking compensation from Victoria Police over allegations he was the target of an improper investigation involving surveillance.

Lawyers for Mr Iddles are exploring police activities in the lead up to the retrial of Jason Roberts in 2022, who was acquitted of the murders of police officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller.

The writ states Mr Iddles suffered injury after Victoria Police officers, from November 2020 to May 17, 2022, engaged in a “conspiracy to injure” him.

It claims police conduct involved “serious breaches of his privacy” and “misusing their powers”.

Former homicide detective Ron Iddles has launched legal action over suspicions police tapped his phone in an attempt to smear his reputation. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Roberts walked free after serving 22-years in jail.

Mr Iddles has long suspected, and was warned, that investigators listened into his phone conversations at some point after he conducted a review into the Silk-Miller murders, dubbed Operation Rainmaker.

The 2012 Operation Rainmaker review delved into Roberts’ claims he was not present when Sgt Silk and Sen Constable Miller were fatally shot in 1998.

Jason Roberts walked free in 2022. Picture: Joe Castro

Since the review, Mr Iddles says he has been “ostracised” by senior police for pursuing the case despite the operation being green-lighted by his superiors to investigate Roberts’ pleas of innocence.

“I took an oath to do my job and I did that according to that oath without fear or favour,” Mr Iddles said.

“I started this 13 years ago and as a result, I’ve been ostracised by Victoria Police and many of those who I worked with over three decades.

“I haven’t taken this step lightly. I have taken this step to get justice, the truth and fair compensation for me to move on with my life.”

In 2017, prior to Roberts’ being granted a retrial, the then Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed Mr Iddles was being investigated after a complaint was made alleging misconduct in his review of the Silk-Miller murders.

Although the details of the complaint was not made public, Mr Iddles was interviewed and cleared of any wrongdoing.

The Herald Sun has been told police targeted four individuals in the lead-up to Roberts’ retrial.

Senior Constable Rodney Miller. Picture: Supplied

Sergeant Gary Silk. Picture: Supplied

The targets are alleged to be Mr Iddles, another former police officer, a lawyer and Roberts’ former girlfriend, Nicole Debs.

It is believed investigators were attempting to establish a conspiracy.

Roberts, who was arrested with his serial killer father-figure, Bandali Debs, in 2000, were both found guilty over the Silk-Miller ambush murders in Cochranes Road, Moorabbin and sentenced to life imprisonment.

But in 2012, Mr Iddles was tasked with reviewing Roberts’ convictions following a meeting with the then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), John Champion.

Mr Iddles spent a year conducting interviews, taking statements and reviewing evidence with a small team of detectives before filing his “Rainmaker Report” with a police superior and the DPP.

Among those interviewed were Roberts, Ms Debs and Bandali Debs as part of the review.

Jason Robers and Nicole Debs. Picture: Supplied

Ms Debs stated to Mr Iddles that Roberts was with her when her father shot the police officers.

The “Rainmaker report” shed some doubt on Roberts’ conviction.

Years later, in 2017, the same year as police investigated Mr Iddles, the Herald Sun uncovered corruption in the original Silk-Miller probe involving the falsification of a police statement.

It led to Roberts being granted a retrial.

A jury acquitted Roberts of the Silk-Miller murders in July, 2022.

The Herald Sun also revealed that police had tapped the phone of Ms Debs, who was set to be a key witness at the retrial.

In 2021, in the months leading into the retrial, police charged Ms Debs with fraud offences only to withdraw the charges after a protracted court battle.

Bandali Debs remains in jail over the Silk-Miller murders as well as the killings of two sex workers.

Before Roberts’ retrial, he made demands of police in return for his testimony as a prosecution witness, including the possibility of parole.

Mr Iddles is widely regarded as one of the finest homicide detectives in Australian history.

Originally published as Former homicide detective Ron Iddles sues Victoria Police over alleged phone tap smear campaign