Former homicide detective Gary Jubelin, who led the investigation into the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell, has renewed calls for a public inquiry into the police handling of the case. Eight years after William vanished from his foster grandmother's garden in Kendall, New South Wales, Jubelin urged authorities to establish an external inquiry, even if findings are critical of his own work.
Speaking on the Today show, Jubelin said speculation and rumours have affected people's lives. He noted that the Police Commissioner criticised the investigation almost a year ago, and the state minister suggested a possible inquiry, but no action has been taken. 'Let's take it one step further, let's have an external inquiry about the handling of the investigation,' he said.
Jubelin acknowledged that such an inquiry could be a double-edged sword for him personally, but stressed the importance of finding answers for William. 'If something has been done wrong, whether it's me or things we could have done better, let's learn from it so it doesn't happen again,' he added.
The former top cop has previously questioned tactics used by current detectives, particularly the naming of William's foster mother as a person of interest. He emphasised the need for transparency and proper perspective when information is released to the media. A renewed search of the Kendall home and surrounding areas last year failed to yield new evidence.
Jubelin, who resigned from the police force in 2019 after being removed from the investigation, said he remains committed to the case. 'I made a commitment to William's family that I would do everything I possibly could for William, and that commitment didn't end the moment I walked out of the police,' he concluded.
