1 00:00:05,881 --> 00:00:13,161 Speaker 1: Appoche production. This podcast contains discussion of child sexual assault 2 00:00:13,361 --> 00:00:17,201 Speaker 1: and psychological trauma. It's not recommended for younger listeners and 3 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:25,601 Speaker 1: discretion is advised. Welcome to Real Crime with Adam Shand. 4 00:00:25,641 --> 00:00:29,241 Speaker 1: I'm your host Adam Shand. The disappearance and probable murder 5 00:00:29,281 --> 00:00:32,281 Speaker 1: of three year old Cheryl Grimmer at Ferry Meadow Beach 6 00:00:32,361 --> 00:00:35,601 Speaker 1: near Wollongong in New South Wales has become one of 7 00:00:35,601 --> 00:00:39,961 Speaker 1: Australia's best known cold cases one of the state's most 8 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: tragic and baffling miss traits. Three year old Cheryl Grimmer 9 00:00:43,801 --> 00:00:47,641 Speaker 1: disappeared from a Woongong beach more than five decades ago. 10 00:00:48,281 --> 00:00:51,961 Speaker 1: On January twelfth, nineteen seventy. Cheryl was with her family 11 00:00:52,001 --> 00:00:55,161 Speaker 1: on the beach. It was a blistering hot day before 12 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,801 Speaker 1: a cool change hit at one thirty pm, sending people 13 00:00:58,881 --> 00:01:03,761 Speaker 1: scrambling off the beach. Cheryl's mum, Carol, sent her daughter 14 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,241 Speaker 1: and her brothers to the shower block to wash before 15 00:01:06,321 --> 00:01:10,561 Speaker 1: going home. Ten minutes later, seven year old Ricky went 16 00:01:10,601 --> 00:01:13,241 Speaker 1: back to his mother to say Cheryl was refusing to 17 00:01:13,241 --> 00:01:16,761 Speaker 1: come out of the shower block. When Carol Grimmer got 18 00:01:16,801 --> 00:01:22,681 Speaker 1: to the shower block, Cheryl had disappeared. She's never been located, but. 19 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: My daughter I would like her buck unharmed as early 20 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: as quick as possible. 21 00:01:28,681 --> 00:01:32,321 Speaker 1: A year later, a troubled youth confessed to police, but 22 00:01:32,441 --> 00:01:35,801 Speaker 1: he was the one who'd abducted and murdered Cheryl. 23 00:01:36,241 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 2: He gained detectives a detailed confession, but that admission didn't 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 2: mean it was case closed. 25 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: But he was dismissed as an attention seeker and set free. 26 00:01:48,121 --> 00:01:52,041 Speaker 1: In March twenty seventeen, that individual was arrested and charged 27 00:01:52,121 --> 00:01:56,041 Speaker 1: was Cheryl's murder after New South Vald's detectives had discovered 28 00:01:56,041 --> 00:02:00,881 Speaker 1: the confession and corroborated key elements of it. However, the 29 00:02:00,961 --> 00:02:04,361 Speaker 1: prosecution was abruptly halted after a judge found that the 30 00:02:04,401 --> 00:02:09,001 Speaker 1: nineteen seven only one confession was inadmissible because an adult 31 00:02:09,161 --> 00:02:14,321 Speaker 1: was not present. Despite this crushing blow, Cheryl's brother Ricky 32 00:02:14,601 --> 00:02:18,841 Speaker 1: continues to fight for justice for his sister. Meanwhile, the suspect, 33 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:24,281 Speaker 1: who cannot be named, hides behind the pseudonym Mercury. Ricky 34 00:02:24,361 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: continues to fight and mate, it's a pleasure to welcome 35 00:02:27,281 --> 00:02:31,321 Speaker 1: you to real crime. Thank you, you've been very busy. 36 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: I think of all the cases that I cover these 37 00:02:33,401 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: long term missing persons cases. It's always about pressure. You've 38 00:02:38,161 --> 00:02:41,641 Speaker 1: never stopped, You've never never stopped. How are you going now? 39 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,361 Speaker 2: Still still a battle? Mate's still a battle. And if 40 00:02:46,401 --> 00:02:49,201 Speaker 2: I stop, or my family stop, on my brothers or 41 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,481 Speaker 2: my cousin in the UK, we've got family fighting in 42 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: the UK for us as well. I mean, if we stop, 43 00:02:55,761 --> 00:03:00,321 Speaker 2: Cheryl gets forgotten. Case will never hear the light of 44 00:03:00,401 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 2: day in court. Boy stopped back in nineteen seventy one 45 00:03:05,041 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 2: and they just put all the boxes into the archives 46 00:03:07,321 --> 00:03:09,481 Speaker 2: and send them off to homicide. And that's where they sat, 47 00:03:09,561 --> 00:03:14,681 Speaker 2: per near on forty five years until twenty sixteen, because. 48 00:03:14,441 --> 00:03:18,041 Speaker 1: Twenty nineteen could have been a moment where you went. 49 00:03:18,761 --> 00:03:22,161 Speaker 1: That's just the ultimate roadblock. Where the judge says the 50 00:03:22,201 --> 00:03:26,721 Speaker 1: confession from nineteen seventy one by Mercury, which is so detailed, 51 00:03:27,161 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: so corroborated by other witnesses and other evidence, where the 52 00:03:31,641 --> 00:03:34,841 Speaker 1: judge says, on the basis of this sack the children's 53 00:03:34,841 --> 00:03:39,961 Speaker 1: criminal proceedings at that this confession was not admissible because 54 00:03:40,001 --> 00:03:45,601 Speaker 1: allegedly there wasn't an adult supervising or assisting Mercury as 55 00:03:45,601 --> 00:03:47,881 Speaker 1: we call it, because of legal reasons there wasn't an 56 00:03:47,921 --> 00:03:52,321 Speaker 1: adult there at the time of this very very good confession. 57 00:03:52,641 --> 00:03:54,681 Speaker 1: A lot of people would have just gone, that's too much, 58 00:03:55,041 --> 00:03:57,441 Speaker 1: it's too hard. I can't change the law as well 59 00:03:57,441 --> 00:04:01,961 Speaker 1: as find the killer, motivate police, keep my own family together, 60 00:04:02,201 --> 00:04:05,641 Speaker 1: keep my own sanity through all this. It's cost you 61 00:04:05,641 --> 00:04:08,921 Speaker 1: a lot, but you didn't stop. And I love the 62 00:04:08,921 --> 00:04:11,001 Speaker 1: way you've kept at it. And you kept hammering me. 63 00:04:11,081 --> 00:04:13,561 Speaker 1: What have you got? Do you know anybody else? And 64 00:04:13,601 --> 00:04:15,681 Speaker 1: I referred you to a couple of lawyers that I knew, 65 00:04:15,721 --> 00:04:17,361 Speaker 1: and they kind of said the same thing, that there's 66 00:04:17,401 --> 00:04:21,081 Speaker 1: nothing more you can do, but or you're indefatigable. 67 00:04:21,161 --> 00:04:25,841 Speaker 2: Allegedly not in the room. What if there was somebody there, 68 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,161 Speaker 2: like You've got to understand. His confession was given after 69 00:04:30,281 --> 00:04:34,601 Speaker 2: police were called to the juvenile Boys' home in Sydney. 70 00:04:35,201 --> 00:04:37,921 Speaker 2: They were rung by a person by the name of 71 00:04:37,961 --> 00:04:42,561 Speaker 2: mister Leckey, who was one of the terrors at the home. Mercury, 72 00:04:43,201 --> 00:04:46,041 Speaker 2: as he's known, informed mister Lecky that he had some 73 00:04:46,161 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 2: information about the Cheryl Griomer case. Mister Lecky, after being 74 00:04:50,761 --> 00:04:54,241 Speaker 2: hearing this information, felt that police should have a chat 75 00:04:54,281 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: to this guy. So police were invited into the home 76 00:04:59,161 --> 00:05:02,601 Speaker 2: just to go there and listen to what information he 77 00:05:02,761 --> 00:05:07,081 Speaker 2: might have on the Cheryl Grumer case. Then after chatting 78 00:05:07,121 --> 00:05:12,241 Speaker 2: to him and the conversation starts, they realize and they 79 00:05:12,281 --> 00:05:14,961 Speaker 2: cautioned him. They stop him when they realize he's starting 80 00:05:15,001 --> 00:05:18,441 Speaker 2: to confess to the crime, and that's when they take 81 00:05:18,481 --> 00:05:22,241 Speaker 2: his confession. But was mister Lecky still in the room. 82 00:05:22,961 --> 00:05:25,881 Speaker 2: He's been invited like police have been invited. Isn't that 83 00:05:26,041 --> 00:05:30,641 Speaker 2: consent enough? Been invited into the home where he resides. 84 00:05:31,081 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: Isn't that consent enough for police to do their job? 85 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,681 Speaker 1: Yeah? I agree, and I think there's even some, at 86 00:05:38,761 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: least in my mind, confusion about well, where was he 87 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,561 Speaker 1: in the home? Where did this interview even take place? 88 00:05:43,801 --> 00:05:46,801 Speaker 2: Correct? Was it just sitting in the launch room where 89 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 2: there are other people listening to it in the background, 90 00:05:49,121 --> 00:05:53,041 Speaker 2: although they weren't part of the conversation. Were there his 91 00:05:53,241 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 2: minders were there if they felt that he was threatened 92 00:05:57,001 --> 00:06:00,241 Speaker 2: in any way? This was in his home, not a 93 00:06:00,281 --> 00:06:03,241 Speaker 2: police station. And as I say, police were invited, they 94 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,801 Speaker 2: didn't go there to take a confession from him. He 95 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,241 Speaker 2: starts to confess. It was, as mister Finlay said, one 96 00:06:11,241 --> 00:06:14,721 Speaker 2: of the officers that was dictating the confession. He says, 97 00:06:14,761 --> 00:06:18,121 Speaker 2: it was just free, it flowed. We didn't have to 98 00:06:18,121 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: stop him. We had to slow him up because he 99 00:06:20,721 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: couldn't type quick enough. He didn't go back, he didn't 100 00:06:24,281 --> 00:06:29,121 Speaker 2: change his conversation in any way. It was just free flowing. 101 00:06:29,161 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: He just wanted to get it off his chest, so 102 00:06:31,601 --> 00:06:36,521 Speaker 2: thinly described to us, and unfortunately for us after that, 103 00:06:36,721 --> 00:06:39,921 Speaker 2: I mean, he then participated in a walk a few 104 00:06:39,961 --> 00:06:43,081 Speaker 2: days later, once again permission from the home take him 105 00:06:43,121 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: out of the home to do the walk through. So 106 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,361 Speaker 2: police were doing everything right at the time until it 107 00:06:50,481 --> 00:06:54,241 Speaker 2: became time do we take this to the courts or 108 00:06:54,281 --> 00:06:56,921 Speaker 2: do we put it into a carboard box and forget 109 00:06:56,921 --> 00:06:59,281 Speaker 2: about it for forty five years, which is what they've done. 110 00:06:59,961 --> 00:07:03,841 Speaker 2: And this is so detailed. I recently met with the 111 00:07:04,041 --> 00:07:08,001 Speaker 2: Shadow ag at Parliament House in Sydney and he raised 112 00:07:08,001 --> 00:07:10,961 Speaker 2: a very valid question. Why wasn't he spoken to a 113 00:07:11,041 --> 00:07:13,881 Speaker 2: year later when he was eighteen? Why wasn't he spoken 114 00:07:13,921 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: to over the years. Why did it take forty five 115 00:07:17,961 --> 00:07:21,121 Speaker 2: years for this confession to be looked at again when 116 00:07:21,201 --> 00:07:24,641 Speaker 2: homicide should be reviewing their cases. I would have at 117 00:07:24,721 --> 00:07:26,081 Speaker 2: least thought yearly. 118 00:07:26,641 --> 00:07:30,281 Speaker 1: Because I understand somebody in the system of police at 119 00:07:30,281 --> 00:07:34,161 Speaker 1: the time decided that Mercury was an attention seeker, correct, 120 00:07:34,601 --> 00:07:37,401 Speaker 1: and that he he is a disturbed kid. He's got 121 00:07:37,441 --> 00:07:40,521 Speaker 1: mental health issues, probably some drug addiction issues as well. 122 00:07:41,001 --> 00:07:43,001 Speaker 1: But you make the very good point in the very 123 00:07:43,001 --> 00:07:47,961 Speaker 1: detailed eighteen nineteen pages summary, You've made that if you're 124 00:07:47,961 --> 00:07:49,921 Speaker 1: going to snatch a three year old girl from the 125 00:07:49,921 --> 00:07:52,961 Speaker 1: beach stranger, you're disturbed in the first place. 126 00:07:53,001 --> 00:07:58,121 Speaker 2: You are, And in his confession, he doesn't just abduct 127 00:07:58,201 --> 00:08:04,521 Speaker 2: her and then murderer. He wants to have physical sexual 128 00:08:05,121 --> 00:08:09,001 Speaker 2: intercourse with a three year old. You're not right in 129 00:08:09,001 --> 00:08:12,001 Speaker 2: the head. You're not You're just not right in the head. 130 00:08:12,961 --> 00:08:18,161 Speaker 1: With all due respect to Supreme Court Justice hum it's 131 00:08:18,161 --> 00:08:21,241 Speaker 1: not his faults specifically, but I see time and time 132 00:08:21,281 --> 00:08:25,601 Speaker 1: again the rights of the accused seemed to be looked 133 00:08:25,601 --> 00:08:28,721 Speaker 1: after more diligently than the rights of the victim. 134 00:08:29,041 --> 00:08:32,361 Speaker 2: Cheryl's voice hasn't once been heard. He didn't take her 135 00:08:32,521 --> 00:08:36,441 Speaker 2: rights into consideration at any time when he handed down 136 00:08:36,521 --> 00:08:40,921 Speaker 2: his judgment. Based on this retrospectiff of aw you'd understand this. 137 00:08:41,241 --> 00:08:43,521 Speaker 2: It's a law too that didn't come in for a 138 00:08:43,561 --> 00:08:47,561 Speaker 2: further six years down the track. Police done everything right 139 00:08:47,601 --> 00:08:50,801 Speaker 2: on the day they cautioned him at the time. It 140 00:08:50,921 --> 00:08:54,641 Speaker 2: did not need an adult present. Understand, if he was 141 00:08:54,681 --> 00:08:58,041 Speaker 2: another eight months older, we wouldn't be having this conversation. 142 00:08:58,361 --> 00:09:01,721 Speaker 2: He'd be locked up because the confession would have been 143 00:09:01,761 --> 00:09:04,761 Speaker 2: allowed in because it would have been eighteen even six 144 00:09:04,841 --> 00:09:09,201 Speaker 2: years later when the laws changed. This retrospective law surely 145 00:09:09,361 --> 00:09:12,601 Speaker 2: was not put in place to protect a self confess 146 00:09:13,121 --> 00:09:13,961 Speaker 2: child murderer. 147 00:09:14,441 --> 00:09:17,241 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, you make the point about possible vested 148 00:09:17,281 --> 00:09:19,041 Speaker 1: interest in this, and I think the system tends to 149 00:09:19,041 --> 00:09:19,921 Speaker 1: look after itself. 150 00:09:20,481 --> 00:09:20,681 Speaker 2: Yep. 151 00:09:20,721 --> 00:09:24,321 Speaker 1: It doesn't like these inconvenient cases that ten particularly non 152 00:09:24,401 --> 00:09:26,721 Speaker 1: lawyers who come in and they change laws and they 153 00:09:26,841 --> 00:09:29,961 Speaker 1: change the way police have done things. But I can 154 00:09:30,001 --> 00:09:33,521 Speaker 1: see some pretty basic flaws in the original police investigation. 155 00:09:33,681 --> 00:09:37,641 Speaker 1: For instance, why was there no interview with mister Lecky 156 00:09:37,961 --> 00:09:41,201 Speaker 1: at the time to say, tell us the circumstances of 157 00:09:41,281 --> 00:09:46,681 Speaker 1: why we're here. Because just as helm in his wisdom says, 158 00:09:46,721 --> 00:09:52,241 Speaker 1: it's possible that Mercury was beguiled into a confession, even 159 00:09:52,721 --> 00:09:55,161 Speaker 1: within the laws and the conditions and the terms of 160 00:09:55,201 --> 00:09:58,161 Speaker 1: the day, it's important to know the context of a confession. 161 00:09:59,161 --> 00:10:02,401 Speaker 1: What was Mercury doing before this? At what point did 162 00:10:02,481 --> 00:10:05,641 Speaker 1: Lecky believe it was time to call the police. If 163 00:10:05,681 --> 00:10:07,721 Speaker 1: that had been done, we might have had a bit 164 00:10:07,761 --> 00:10:09,721 Speaker 1: more detail of what was actually going on in the 165 00:10:09,761 --> 00:10:12,521 Speaker 1: home on that day. What we don't So we were 166 00:10:12,521 --> 00:10:14,881 Speaker 1: starting behind the eight ball from the beginning, unfortunately. 167 00:10:15,881 --> 00:10:18,401 Speaker 2: And you know, there are many things. I mean, when 168 00:10:18,441 --> 00:10:22,321 Speaker 2: you get such a detailed confession, an eight page home 169 00:10:22,401 --> 00:10:27,161 Speaker 2: page confession, and one of the officers at the time, 170 00:10:27,721 --> 00:10:31,201 Speaker 2: mister Finlay, he said if he was not the junior officer, 171 00:10:31,281 --> 00:10:33,441 Speaker 2: he was a senior officer, he would have charged him 172 00:10:34,281 --> 00:10:37,881 Speaker 2: because he believed every word he was saying. At the time. 173 00:10:37,921 --> 00:10:42,121 Speaker 2: We're only fourteen months after Cheryl's gone missing. There are 174 00:10:42,201 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 2: lots of witnesses that still remember a lot of information. 175 00:10:45,801 --> 00:10:47,681 Speaker 2: There are a lot of people on that beach. What 176 00:10:47,761 --> 00:10:49,721 Speaker 2: did they not put him in a lineup and just 177 00:10:49,801 --> 00:10:52,121 Speaker 2: see who could pick him? What was he at the 178 00:10:52,121 --> 00:10:54,201 Speaker 2: beach on the day? That would have been a stunt. 179 00:10:55,201 --> 00:10:58,801 Speaker 2: Why did they not video the walkthrough that they'd done 180 00:10:58,881 --> 00:11:01,521 Speaker 2: with him where Vickery took them? Why did they not 181 00:11:01,601 --> 00:11:06,281 Speaker 2: have photographic evidence? This is a very detail confession. I mean, 182 00:11:06,641 --> 00:11:11,161 Speaker 2: why wasn't correct policing done, or if it's done, if 183 00:11:11,201 --> 00:11:15,361 Speaker 2: it's somewhere, where is it buried? I mean you would think. 184 00:11:15,881 --> 00:11:19,601 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy, a few days after Cheryl went missing, 185 00:11:19,881 --> 00:11:25,401 Speaker 2: police received a ransom note. Unfortunately, they advertised what was 186 00:11:25,441 --> 00:11:28,761 Speaker 2: in that ransom note to the general public where the 187 00:11:28,881 --> 00:11:31,121 Speaker 2: ransom was due to be picked up on the Saturday 188 00:11:31,241 --> 00:11:35,081 Speaker 2: eleven am at Bullye Library And it's like a circus. 189 00:11:36,521 --> 00:11:37,521 Speaker 1: I was selling ice creams. 190 00:11:37,561 --> 00:11:41,881 Speaker 2: They were selling ice creams. And Wollongong University professor said 191 00:11:41,921 --> 00:11:44,721 Speaker 2: he was actually there on the day. It's in the podcast, 192 00:11:44,721 --> 00:11:48,361 Speaker 2: the Ferry Meadow Podcast and he said he's thought it 193 00:11:48,441 --> 00:11:51,641 Speaker 2: was just fascical. How could you do this? This is 194 00:11:51,721 --> 00:11:55,401 Speaker 2: the only solid lead that they had. This is within 195 00:11:55,521 --> 00:11:59,241 Speaker 2: the week of Cheryl going missing. Yet they advertise it 196 00:11:59,321 --> 00:12:01,841 Speaker 2: to the world and they turn it into a circus. 197 00:12:02,121 --> 00:12:06,921 Speaker 1: And particularly looking back on it now, the handwriting expert 198 00:12:07,281 --> 00:12:10,601 Speaker 1: called Clark goes down there and looks at this letter 199 00:12:10,641 --> 00:12:13,801 Speaker 1: which says if you give us ten thousand dollars, will 200 00:12:13,841 --> 00:12:17,401 Speaker 1: handshare all over. He concludes that it's the handwriting of 201 00:12:17,441 --> 00:12:22,321 Speaker 1: a fourteen or fifteen year old individual. Yes, well, surprise, surprise, 202 00:12:22,441 --> 00:12:24,401 Speaker 1: Mercury was exactly that age at that time. 203 00:12:24,521 --> 00:12:25,161 Speaker 2: Yes he was. 204 00:12:25,561 --> 00:12:28,081 Speaker 1: And I wonder even now, and you maybe i'd answer 205 00:12:28,121 --> 00:12:30,721 Speaker 1: this question. I presume that letter is still in the 206 00:12:30,721 --> 00:12:31,441 Speaker 1: evidence somewhere. 207 00:12:31,521 --> 00:12:32,041 Speaker 2: Yes it is. 208 00:12:32,601 --> 00:12:35,201 Speaker 1: Could it not be compared to an example of Mercury's 209 00:12:35,201 --> 00:12:36,921 Speaker 1: handwriting today? Has a Has that been done? 210 00:12:37,081 --> 00:12:39,441 Speaker 2: I believe it should, and I believe it hasn't been 211 00:12:39,481 --> 00:12:44,201 Speaker 2: done to this date. I mean, here, you've got thirteen 212 00:12:44,241 --> 00:12:49,241 Speaker 2: months later, this now seventeen year old confesses in detail. 213 00:12:50,081 --> 00:12:53,921 Speaker 2: Thirteen months ago, you get a ransom note where you believe, 214 00:12:54,201 --> 00:12:56,841 Speaker 2: with your experts looking at it was written by a 215 00:12:56,881 --> 00:12:59,921 Speaker 2: fourteen to fifteen year old. Wouldn't you connect the two 216 00:12:59,961 --> 00:13:01,921 Speaker 2: dots and say, okay, well, let's have a look at this. 217 00:13:02,721 --> 00:13:05,801 Speaker 2: It's still a lineup. Let's do this thing. This really 218 00:13:05,841 --> 00:13:06,881 Speaker 2: needs to be looked at. 219 00:13:07,601 --> 00:13:10,561 Speaker 1: I go only assume that they thought, oh, this couldn't 220 00:13:10,601 --> 00:13:14,081 Speaker 1: be a teenage boy. How could someone have done this 221 00:13:14,161 --> 00:13:18,001 Speaker 1: heenous crime? This must be either someone known to the fact. 222 00:13:18,081 --> 00:13:21,601 Speaker 1: The problem is, in those days these things were almost 223 00:13:21,641 --> 00:13:24,001 Speaker 1: a social welfare issue rather than a police matter. When 224 00:13:24,081 --> 00:13:27,041 Speaker 1: kids went missing and the finger of suspicion was normally 225 00:13:27,041 --> 00:13:29,761 Speaker 1: pointed at the family first, that something must have happened 226 00:13:29,761 --> 00:13:31,441 Speaker 1: and they're coming up. The Bonones went through the same 227 00:13:31,481 --> 00:13:36,841 Speaker 1: process years earlier and in South Australia, so inexplicable mistakes 228 00:13:37,281 --> 00:13:40,601 Speaker 1: one after the other. And we can go to the 229 00:13:40,641 --> 00:13:42,921 Speaker 1: details of many stuff ups that have happened since. But 230 00:13:43,281 --> 00:13:47,681 Speaker 1: I wonder an overarching apology to your family has it 231 00:13:47,721 --> 00:13:49,441 Speaker 1: ever been delivered now? 232 00:13:49,521 --> 00:13:54,001 Speaker 2: Even recently when I've attended a search with the Sydney 233 00:13:54,001 --> 00:13:55,441 Speaker 2: Search Dog Team. 234 00:13:55,921 --> 00:13:56,321 Speaker 1: Police. 235 00:13:56,361 --> 00:14:01,721 Speaker 2: Eventually after the Sydney Search Dog Team locating what they 236 00:14:01,801 --> 00:14:06,241 Speaker 2: believe some human remains, showed up on Friday last Friday, 237 00:14:07,081 --> 00:14:10,761 Speaker 2: three hours late, sat around, done nothing, didn't come and 238 00:14:10,801 --> 00:14:13,121 Speaker 2: talk to me or anything. I'm standing there and there 239 00:14:13,201 --> 00:14:15,761 Speaker 2: was lots of media there and stuff like that. They 240 00:14:15,761 --> 00:14:18,201 Speaker 2: couldn't even have the decency to come over and say hello, 241 00:14:18,521 --> 00:14:20,641 Speaker 2: where he now? Will do what we can for you 242 00:14:20,721 --> 00:14:25,361 Speaker 2: and the family? Nothing. They sent their Cadiva dog along 243 00:14:25,361 --> 00:14:28,281 Speaker 2: with a couple of officers up to the area. Press 244 00:14:28,321 --> 00:14:31,321 Speaker 2: weren't allowed up there, we weren't allowed that, no photos 245 00:14:31,401 --> 00:14:34,161 Speaker 2: take and know nothing. Yet within forty minutes they come 246 00:14:34,201 --> 00:14:37,721 Speaker 2: back with what they call bones. Didn't tell us it 247 00:14:37,761 --> 00:14:39,921 Speaker 2: was in the report later on a few hours later, 248 00:14:40,681 --> 00:14:43,001 Speaker 2: and then a few hours later these were determined to 249 00:14:43,001 --> 00:14:45,841 Speaker 2: be animal bones. So they looked for forty minutes and 250 00:14:45,881 --> 00:14:49,081 Speaker 2: that was their effort for the day, and that was 251 00:14:49,201 --> 00:14:50,961 Speaker 2: enough for them. 252 00:14:51,241 --> 00:14:53,321 Speaker 1: You'll talk about this search. I think it's a very 253 00:14:53,361 --> 00:14:57,881 Speaker 1: important piece of the evidence because Mercury and his confession 254 00:14:57,921 --> 00:15:00,921 Speaker 1: and his discussions with the police afterwards, nominates a specific 255 00:15:01,001 --> 00:15:07,161 Speaker 1: place where he took Cheryl and attempted to her, strangled her, 256 00:15:07,441 --> 00:15:11,081 Speaker 1: and then left her body under a tree or next 257 00:15:11,081 --> 00:15:15,041 Speaker 1: to a tree covered in brush. And days later there's 258 00:15:15,081 --> 00:15:18,641 Speaker 1: a report from a local same there's flocks of crows 259 00:15:18,681 --> 00:15:22,161 Speaker 1: over that area and it corresponds to the same place 260 00:15:22,441 --> 00:15:25,521 Speaker 1: broke his nose. I believe it's called in balgowniep How 261 00:15:25,561 --> 00:15:26,921 Speaker 1: far is that away from very minute? 262 00:15:27,041 --> 00:15:29,721 Speaker 2: About three kilometers so about a thirty minute. 263 00:15:29,441 --> 00:15:33,801 Speaker 1: Walk right, Quite possible to walk there. So never searched, 264 00:15:35,001 --> 00:15:39,041 Speaker 1: never searched. So Chris Darcy, for whom I have tremendous 265 00:15:39,041 --> 00:15:40,961 Speaker 1: admiration for what he does. What an asset to have 266 00:15:41,001 --> 00:15:43,601 Speaker 1: in your team. So he comes along with Rufus the dog. 267 00:15:44,321 --> 00:15:46,841 Speaker 1: You were there when the search was going on, tell 268 00:15:46,921 --> 00:15:47,881 Speaker 1: us what happened. 269 00:15:48,641 --> 00:15:52,481 Speaker 2: Started and early in the morning we got there sixty 270 00:15:52,521 --> 00:15:55,241 Speaker 2: minutes for there. They were there for a bit and 271 00:15:55,281 --> 00:15:59,601 Speaker 2: then once we got going, Chris myself, we've just started walking, 272 00:15:59,761 --> 00:16:02,641 Speaker 2: started let the dog do it. Seeing I just stayed back, 273 00:16:02,681 --> 00:16:05,641 Speaker 2: stayed out of the way. And it wasn't till really 274 00:16:05,721 --> 00:16:08,881 Speaker 2: late in the afternoon, and funny enough, I had a 275 00:16:09,001 --> 00:16:10,841 Speaker 2: I just wanted some time out on my own, because 276 00:16:10,881 --> 00:16:13,561 Speaker 2: I'd sort of been busy with sixty minutes in the morning, 277 00:16:14,121 --> 00:16:15,881 Speaker 2: and I just wanted some time out. So I just 278 00:16:15,921 --> 00:16:20,201 Speaker 2: started walking through the creek bed looking for areas from 279 00:16:20,201 --> 00:16:22,681 Speaker 2: my point of view, that haven't been disturbed in the 280 00:16:22,801 --> 00:16:27,001 Speaker 2: last forty to fifty sixty years. I wanted to find areas, 281 00:16:27,081 --> 00:16:28,721 Speaker 2: and I found a bit at the top of the 282 00:16:28,881 --> 00:16:33,481 Speaker 2: creek that to me looked untouched for the last fifty 283 00:16:33,521 --> 00:16:36,921 Speaker 2: sixty years. And I just sat there for a bit, 284 00:16:37,001 --> 00:16:39,721 Speaker 2: and then I went back down and Chris was having 285 00:16:39,721 --> 00:16:41,641 Speaker 2: a bit of a rest and Rufus was having a rest, 286 00:16:41,641 --> 00:16:43,481 Speaker 2: and I asked Chris, I said, look, would you mind 287 00:16:44,001 --> 00:16:45,841 Speaker 2: having a look up at the top section of this 288 00:16:45,961 --> 00:16:49,401 Speaker 2: creek area? He said, yore, whatever the family is, whatever 289 00:16:49,441 --> 00:16:53,081 Speaker 2: you need, And later that afternoon he took Rufus up 290 00:16:53,081 --> 00:16:55,321 Speaker 2: at the top of the creek and he came back 291 00:16:55,361 --> 00:16:59,241 Speaker 2: and he said, we may have located something. Ricky, he said, 292 00:16:59,321 --> 00:17:02,721 Speaker 2: but don't want you're anywhere near it. But we may 293 00:17:02,761 --> 00:17:06,281 Speaker 2: have located something, so can stay out of that. I 294 00:17:06,361 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 2: was shaking because I thought it was a one in 295 00:17:08,681 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 2: in a ten million shot of finding something. Anyway, he said, look, 296 00:17:13,521 --> 00:17:15,921 Speaker 2: we're going to let everything cool down today. We've had enough. 297 00:17:16,561 --> 00:17:19,001 Speaker 2: I'm going to come early tomorrow morning with the dog. 298 00:17:19,921 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 2: I don't want you here. I'm just going to let 299 00:17:22,281 --> 00:17:23,481 Speaker 2: Rupus do his thing. 300 00:17:23,521 --> 00:17:26,801 Speaker 1: Because it's potentially a crime scene. You don't want any 301 00:17:26,921 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 1: possibility that the family might have interfered or done something 302 00:17:30,681 --> 00:17:33,481 Speaker 1: to contaminate the crime scene. It's a really sensitive moment. 303 00:17:34,001 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 2: Very and I mean Rufus and Chris, they're really not 304 00:17:38,281 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 2: looking for bones. They're looking for something in the soil, 305 00:17:42,241 --> 00:17:47,601 Speaker 2: DNA residue because it's been now approaching fifty six years. 306 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,561 Speaker 1: And depending on the acidity of the soil, often there 307 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: is nothing left there except traces of residue of human remains. 308 00:17:54,441 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: And Chris was very clear when I spoke to him 309 00:17:57,321 --> 00:17:59,361 Speaker 1: during that search. He said, we're not looking for bones, 310 00:18:00,001 --> 00:18:03,441 Speaker 1: it's a residue. So he understood the soils there and he. 311 00:18:03,441 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 2: Believed that the soil there is great soil to hold DNA, 312 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,561 Speaker 2: to hold residue within the soil. And then when I 313 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,201 Speaker 2: went back that morning, he said, the dog has gone 314 00:18:15,241 --> 00:18:17,761 Speaker 2: back to the same area Riki and has done the 315 00:18:17,801 --> 00:18:21,761 Speaker 2: same reaction, not the normal reaction that the dog would 316 00:18:21,801 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 2: normally give, but a reaction in the identical same place 317 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 2: that he found the day before. So under consultation he 318 00:18:30,241 --> 00:18:33,161 Speaker 2: spoke to Frank sam Viertali was at the research as well. 319 00:18:33,241 --> 00:18:34,880 Speaker 1: He was the original well not the vision but the 320 00:18:34,921 --> 00:18:39,281 Speaker 1: investigators into twenty fifteen sixteen with Damian Luhn, who really 321 00:18:40,041 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: breathe life into this whole investigation. 322 00:18:42,001 --> 00:18:45,561 Speaker 2: And after they spoke for a while, Chris felt that 323 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 2: it was prudent now to call police in and what 324 00:18:49,281 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 2: he said, he believes it now to be a crime area. 325 00:18:53,041 --> 00:18:57,401 Speaker 2: Police came later that afternoon, no dogs, no nothing, went 326 00:18:57,481 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 2: up and had a look. Didn't leave anybody at the 327 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:03,481 Speaker 2: site to guard the site overnight, just said look, we'll 328 00:19:03,521 --> 00:19:07,360 Speaker 2: come back at nine am on the Friday morning with 329 00:19:07,561 --> 00:19:11,321 Speaker 2: a dog with their own dog and forensics. They did 330 00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 2: speak to me on that Thursday to detectives that I 331 00:19:14,041 --> 00:19:18,561 Speaker 2: never saw on the Friday and said, look, we'll bring forensics, 332 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 2: we'll bring our dog down, we'll start nine am Friday morning. 333 00:19:23,441 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 2: And I questioned them at the time, and I said, well, 334 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,201 Speaker 2: if it's a crime, so now would you not tape 335 00:19:28,241 --> 00:19:31,401 Speaker 2: it off and leave somebody here overnight? I believe one 336 00:19:31,441 --> 00:19:35,561 Speaker 2: of the officers did try made an attempt to have 337 00:19:35,681 --> 00:19:40,001 Speaker 2: somebody stationed near the site, but that fell on death 338 00:19:40,201 --> 00:19:42,881 Speaker 2: is and no one was left there. So anybody could 339 00:19:42,921 --> 00:19:45,041 Speaker 2: have went on the site would have been a bit 340 00:19:45,041 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 2: difficult to find, but you know, it could have happened. 341 00:19:47,961 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 2: Somebody could have went to this. Well, the practice diligence, 342 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 2: show some effort. I felt, Ill, if my sister is 343 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,961 Speaker 2: there and she's been there for near on fifty six years, 344 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 2: lying there on her own, now, I mean, I wasn't 345 00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 2: the search a done right back in the day, you know, 346 00:20:05,801 --> 00:20:10,561 Speaker 2: the day that Mercury took and led police to that site. 347 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,481 Speaker 2: Why wasn't a diligent search done then? 348 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: Well, wasn't there the excuse profited that, Well, it was 349 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:20,961 Speaker 1: a dairy farm when this has occurred, But there was 350 00:20:21,001 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: a housing development by the time they go back again, 351 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,041 Speaker 1: so the area is now, it's changed. 352 00:20:27,321 --> 00:20:30,241 Speaker 2: Was that the excuse back in the day most likely, 353 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: but it's untouched this area that we were conducting and 354 00:20:35,441 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 2: with Sydney search dogs, it's untouched. Funny enough, there's a 355 00:20:40,521 --> 00:20:43,521 Speaker 2: house directly across the road from where Chris and his 356 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 2: team set up camp, and there was an Oldish lady 357 00:20:48,521 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 2: out the front doing her gardening and looking wondering what 358 00:20:51,441 --> 00:20:54,001 Speaker 2: was going on. As a lot of the locals came 359 00:20:54,041 --> 00:20:56,961 Speaker 2: out and offered to make lunch and teas and coffee 360 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,441 Speaker 2: because they know about Cheryl and stuff like that. When 361 00:20:59,441 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 2: they realized it was a search for Cheryl, and Frank 362 00:21:03,441 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 2: sam Fittali happened to be speaking to the lady across 363 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,161 Speaker 2: the road. She's an old Italian lady. She's been there 364 00:21:10,441 --> 00:21:16,521 Speaker 2: over sixty years. She has photos of what he documents 365 00:21:16,681 --> 00:21:19,481 Speaker 2: in his confession, where the category was, where the fence 366 00:21:19,521 --> 00:21:23,241 Speaker 2: line is, where the serpentine trees were. Everything he's got 367 00:21:23,241 --> 00:21:26,841 Speaker 2: in his confession. We believe she has photos. She can 368 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,761 Speaker 2: remember the cattlegory, she remembers the serpentine trees, she remembers 369 00:21:30,801 --> 00:21:31,241 Speaker 2: the wire. 370 00:21:32,041 --> 00:21:36,201 Speaker 1: I love the diligence of San Vitali and Loon whereby 371 00:21:36,241 --> 00:21:39,041 Speaker 1: the caval grid gets excluded at some point because it 372 00:21:39,041 --> 00:21:41,041 Speaker 1: couldn't have been there at that time. But then there's 373 00:21:41,041 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: more inquiries and no, no, actually it was there, and 374 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,721 Speaker 1: another witnesses found to actually corroborate that. So all along 375 00:21:47,801 --> 00:21:52,281 Speaker 1: I see a strange reluctance to accept key planks of 376 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:57,201 Speaker 1: Mercury's confession and to exclude them as superficially as possible. 377 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,001 Speaker 1: And it's been your job and a couple of diligent 378 00:22:00,041 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: police to actually reinstate this confession. And of course they hadn't. 379 00:22:04,801 --> 00:22:07,401 Speaker 1: They were the first ones to look at this. I mean, 380 00:22:07,441 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: this has been there since nineteen seventy one. And I 381 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,801 Speaker 1: note that there was one of the reviews was a 382 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: detective who was at the academy doing an assignment, and 383 00:22:16,041 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: he could find it. But then when you get to 384 00:22:17,921 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: the inquest, so twenty eleven, I think it was they 385 00:22:20,801 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 1: can't even find the two suspects. They can't find Mercury 386 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: with the other Poratini I think his name was. 387 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 2: It's correct. 388 00:22:26,321 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: They couldn't even find them. It couldn't curse the research. 389 00:22:28,481 --> 00:22:32,401 Speaker 1: And then lun and Sanvitali find him in two hours, Mercury. 390 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,321 Speaker 2: Under two hours. They had his address, God had his 391 00:22:34,481 --> 00:22:39,561 Speaker 2: driver's license. Yet I think his name Sergeant Dark. At 392 00:22:39,561 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 2: the time him and his team went. He done the 393 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 2: review for the twenty eleven inquest, and I may have 394 00:22:45,721 --> 00:22:48,921 Speaker 2: took forty one years for an inquest. There's another story, 395 00:22:49,721 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 2: and part of that inquest was the guy in the 396 00:22:52,201 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 2: academy doing a review in the academy. Wow. Okay, so 397 00:22:57,801 --> 00:23:00,041 Speaker 2: not even a police officer yet, and that's part of 398 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,361 Speaker 2: what he had to do to get his detective badge 399 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,961 Speaker 2: and so on. But when question by the coroner, mister 400 00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:11,561 Speaker 2: Dark informed the coroner that his team had made an 401 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 2: exhaustive effort to find the author of this confession. So 402 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,241 Speaker 2: it was touched on in the twenty eleven inquest, which 403 00:23:19,561 --> 00:23:23,201 Speaker 2: I wasn't part of. I wasn't there. But another five 404 00:23:23,241 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 2: or six years later, the author can be found in 405 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 2: hours by one detective. 406 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 1: He's not hiding, although he did. I know that he 407 00:23:30,921 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: did change his name at a certain point. 408 00:23:33,041 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 2: He has changed his name for reasons unbeknown so us. 409 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:42,841 Speaker 2: Why you wonder that's great? So did mister Dark mislead 410 00:23:42,961 --> 00:23:46,161 Speaker 2: the coroner or did he blatantly lie to the coroner? 411 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,761 Speaker 3: Well, in my experience, conspiracy or funck. U've always go 412 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,001 Speaker 3: for a fuck up and I think that's probably what 413 00:23:53,001 --> 00:23:54,921 Speaker 3: we'll be looking at here. Pretty lazy effort. I don't 414 00:23:54,921 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 3: want to fame the man, but I think a pretty 415 00:23:56,681 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 3: lazy effort. And I think the evidence speaks for itself. 416 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 3: They couldn't find the main suspect, really, and everyone went 417 00:24:02,001 --> 00:24:04,321 Speaker 3: along with that. I mean, I think a decent coroner 418 00:24:04,321 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 3: would have said, go on, go back and do some 419 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 3: more work. 420 00:24:07,961 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 2: Find the death certificate of the author, okay, because they 421 00:24:11,521 --> 00:24:14,801 Speaker 2: knew who the author was. And as I say, six 422 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:16,921 Speaker 2: years later, he was found in a couple of hours 423 00:24:17,281 --> 00:24:19,921 Speaker 2: by one detective, a couple of pushes of the keyboard, 424 00:24:19,921 --> 00:24:22,761 Speaker 2: and there is larger than life. They had his address, 425 00:24:22,801 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 2: they had his driver's license, they had where he worked, 426 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,041 Speaker 2: everything within hours. So either mister Dark, as I said, 427 00:24:29,241 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 2: lied blatantly, lied, misled lazy. He should have said, look, 428 00:24:33,921 --> 00:24:36,400 Speaker 2: we really haven't put in much effort to look for 429 00:24:36,441 --> 00:24:41,241 Speaker 2: the author. We disregard the confession. I mean, the confession 430 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,001 Speaker 2: sat there for forty one years. Forty years sat there, 431 00:24:45,441 --> 00:24:49,681 Speaker 2: such a detailed confession. I think police should be embarrassed 432 00:24:49,681 --> 00:24:51,721 Speaker 2: that they didn't pick it up again and look at it, 433 00:24:51,761 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 2: you know, over the years, and say, oh, was this 434 00:24:54,761 --> 00:24:56,641 Speaker 2: guy wasting our top. Let's get him in again. Let's 435 00:24:56,681 --> 00:24:58,961 Speaker 2: have a look at this, you know, I mean, because 436 00:24:59,120 --> 00:24:59,841 Speaker 2: I suppose. 437 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: You can see failure was search failure to find they 438 00:25:02,521 --> 00:25:07,761 Speaker 1: stopped working on the case for forty odd years. What 439 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,721 Speaker 1: happens that at least evident of the family. 440 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 2: Nothing, We were told nothing, they'd done nothing. They just 441 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,241 Speaker 2: forgot about Cheryl And when it did get picked up, 442 00:25:18,721 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 2: is it now total embarrassment for them? In twenty and sixteen, 443 00:25:23,321 --> 00:25:27,001 Speaker 2: You've got to understand the New South Wales authorities, the 444 00:25:27,201 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 2: legal system gave mister Leerne, Damen Learn and Frank sam 445 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:36,081 Speaker 2: Bertali a warrant to arrest Mercury. So now it's all 446 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:39,321 Speaker 2: all of a sudden being taken very serious. He's going 447 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:42,681 Speaker 2: to be arrested, He's going to be charged. They formally 448 00:25:42,721 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 2: interview him at Frankston Police station where he takes ownership 449 00:25:46,001 --> 00:25:52,081 Speaker 2: of the confession. Again, He's charged, arrested and extradited, all 450 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:57,401 Speaker 2: approved by the authorities Victorian and New South Wales at 451 00:25:57,441 --> 00:26:01,561 Speaker 2: the time. When he walks into Frankston Police station to 452 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:06,041 Speaker 2: be interviewed, he's told, you know, to bring lawyers come down. 453 00:26:06,561 --> 00:26:08,681 Speaker 2: We're going to chat to you about something he knows 454 00:26:08,721 --> 00:26:11,521 Speaker 2: what he's going to be spoken about, because he admitted. 455 00:26:12,120 --> 00:26:16,281 Speaker 2: He basically confessed again to mister sam Fatali the week 456 00:26:16,321 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 2: before when he rang Frank Samfertali to say, I believe 457 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:24,041 Speaker 2: you're looking for me. What's it in relation? And Frank said, well, 458 00:26:24,241 --> 00:26:29,161 Speaker 2: you tell me. He actually says to Frank Samfertali, it's 459 00:26:29,201 --> 00:26:32,281 Speaker 2: about something I've done years ago, and very beach he 460 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:32,801 Speaker 2: called it. 461 00:26:33,761 --> 00:26:35,041 Speaker 1: Frank's a good detective, isn't he. 462 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,680 Speaker 2: As much as this has broken our family, it's broken 463 00:26:38,761 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 2: him as well. 464 00:26:39,441 --> 00:26:42,880 Speaker 1: He's yeah, he's told me in the past how the 465 00:26:42,961 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: disappointment of this and the seeming like a common sense 466 00:26:47,761 --> 00:26:50,721 Speaker 1: or anything he can has caused him lot of trauma. 467 00:26:51,001 --> 00:26:53,521 Speaker 1: The fact that he has nightmares where he does see 468 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,201 Speaker 1: Cheryl and he feels like he failed. 469 00:26:55,961 --> 00:27:01,201 Speaker 2: Well, he's challenging, understand, when he's supporting us, he's challenging 470 00:27:01,241 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 2: what he worked twenty five years for in the police. 471 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: He's that now and he can't put his finger on 472 00:27:07,801 --> 00:27:11,281 Speaker 2: nor can any of us. Why Sheryl's case has been 473 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 2: such a mess. And as I said, from the days, 474 00:27:14,961 --> 00:27:18,321 Speaker 2: the first days that she went missing, he said, it's 475 00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:21,961 Speaker 2: the case that no one wants heard now, as we 476 00:27:22,001 --> 00:27:26,521 Speaker 2: believe no one wants this case heard because of these mistakes. 477 00:27:26,921 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 2: We were told in twenty seventeen at the first hearing 478 00:27:31,761 --> 00:27:36,241 Speaker 2: for mercury at Wongong Supreme Court, we were told by 479 00:27:36,921 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 2: Crown Prosecutor we've got the right guy. They've got the 480 00:27:41,241 --> 00:27:44,281 Speaker 2: right guy. He will be serving the rest of his 481 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,321 Speaker 2: life in jail or he will be fat found guilty. 482 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,801 Speaker 2: But for me to do that, unfortunately for you and 483 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,561 Speaker 2: your family, you're going to have to hear about all 484 00:27:54,681 --> 00:27:59,041 Speaker 2: the mistakes that were made. He knows the mistakes, so 485 00:27:59,201 --> 00:28:01,921 Speaker 2: now tell us as a family what those mistakes were. 486 00:28:02,921 --> 00:28:06,361 Speaker 2: He says, I will stay on this case from the 487 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,721 Speaker 2: start to the very end. Two weeks later, he's moved 488 00:28:10,761 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 2: off the case. So called gets a promotion in Sydney. 489 00:28:15,761 --> 00:28:20,361 Speaker 2: Weeks later, Frank Sampatali's move left damn Loon who's got 490 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 2: a promotion somewhere out towards Tanworth. So the three key 491 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 2: players and they're still in this guy's locked up, put away. 492 00:28:29,761 --> 00:28:34,921 Speaker 2: They're still working on one of Australia's oldest cold cases. 493 00:28:35,321 --> 00:28:39,041 Speaker 2: We've got the perpetrator, he's locked away. Yet why do 494 00:28:39,121 --> 00:28:42,041 Speaker 2: you move all the pieces of the chessboard. Why why 495 00:28:42,041 --> 00:28:42,641 Speaker 2: would you do that? 496 00:28:43,361 --> 00:28:47,081 Speaker 1: So we get twenty nineteen Supreme Court rules that his 497 00:28:47,281 --> 00:28:52,881 Speaker 1: confession is inadmissible. He's clearly lying in one or other 498 00:28:53,041 --> 00:28:57,881 Speaker 1: of his statements, so it all kind of all stops again. 499 00:28:58,561 --> 00:29:02,241 Speaker 2: They just let him walk out in February of twenty nineteen, 500 00:29:02,401 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 2: and they haven't spoken to him since. Yeah, we've given 501 00:29:06,401 --> 00:29:09,921 Speaker 2: a lot of people came forward to our family and said, look, 502 00:29:10,001 --> 00:29:13,321 Speaker 2: we've worked with this character. These are the things, these 503 00:29:13,321 --> 00:29:17,201 Speaker 2: are his traits over many, many years, long before he 504 00:29:17,321 --> 00:29:21,361 Speaker 2: was arrested in twenty seventeen. These are the things he 505 00:29:21,481 --> 00:29:23,761 Speaker 2: used to do at his place of work. These are 506 00:29:23,761 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 2: the things he used to show us. And believe it 507 00:29:26,521 --> 00:29:30,641 Speaker 2: or not, he used to show his colleagues Cheryl's case 508 00:29:31,081 --> 00:29:33,401 Speaker 2: and admitted to them. He said, if I'd done that, 509 00:29:33,561 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 2: I'd never get caught. Well, so far he's right, but 510 00:29:38,081 --> 00:29:39,841 Speaker 2: his time's running out. 511 00:29:40,081 --> 00:29:43,081 Speaker 1: I've got a single out that source from his workplace 512 00:29:43,121 --> 00:29:46,441 Speaker 1: who is just another fantastic supporter of you and your 513 00:29:46,481 --> 00:29:49,601 Speaker 1: family and just never stops. I mean I get messages 514 00:29:49,681 --> 00:29:52,521 Speaker 1: proving all the time, you know, but I take it 515 00:29:52,561 --> 00:29:55,801 Speaker 1: seriously because he really cares. And you can see onny 516 00:29:55,801 --> 00:29:59,081 Speaker 1: people do care, and to the point where other witnesses 517 00:29:59,121 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: have come forward as a result of the BBC podcast 518 00:30:01,921 --> 00:30:05,881 Speaker 1: Very Meta, in particular a young but he was then 519 00:30:05,921 --> 00:30:09,281 Speaker 1: young nine and seventy seven year old boy with his 520 00:30:09,641 --> 00:30:13,401 Speaker 1: migrant family living in the hostel there. He gives a 521 00:30:13,561 --> 00:30:18,681 Speaker 1: very detailed description of seeing a youth carrying a young 522 00:30:18,761 --> 00:30:22,041 Speaker 1: child away. I mean it's a dramatic scene. Obviously a hot, 523 00:30:22,081 --> 00:30:25,161 Speaker 1: hot day, and the winds changed and suddenly the ear 524 00:30:25,281 --> 00:30:28,401 Speaker 1: I was diving off the beach. He did itself and 525 00:30:28,961 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: he captures all that detail. He comes forward. What's happened 526 00:30:33,201 --> 00:30:34,001 Speaker 1: with his testimony? 527 00:30:34,881 --> 00:30:38,321 Speaker 2: Not think they haven't even spoken to him, No statement taken, 528 00:30:38,561 --> 00:30:41,841 Speaker 2: no nothing. I mean I believe they called him. Yeah, 529 00:30:42,121 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 2: five minute conversations to say, look, we will interview you 530 00:30:45,041 --> 00:30:47,881 Speaker 2: at a later date. Nothing to date. 531 00:30:49,601 --> 00:30:51,841 Speaker 1: I did unsadly. I did follow up with Ane of 532 00:30:51,881 --> 00:30:55,361 Speaker 1: the homicide detectives and ask that question why walk, Why 533 00:30:55,401 --> 00:31:00,641 Speaker 1: wouldn't you And the response was well, there's no contemporaneous 534 00:31:00,681 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: note at the time, there's no diagram, there's no drawing. 535 00:31:04,161 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: We would be concerned that if he put him in 536 00:31:05,961 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: the box, he would be destroyed, that he would that 537 00:31:09,281 --> 00:31:11,361 Speaker 1: they could introduce the idea that he must have seen 538 00:31:11,641 --> 00:31:14,721 Speaker 1: or heard the podcast or seen the publicity and they're 539 00:31:14,761 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: simply making it up. How would you know until you 540 00:31:17,721 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: meet him and take the statement. Okay, sit down with 541 00:31:21,041 --> 00:31:21,801 Speaker 1: him for an hour or two. 542 00:31:21,961 --> 00:31:25,801 Speaker 2: Damien Lehne actually spoke to him for over an hour, 543 00:31:25,881 --> 00:31:29,361 Speaker 2: and Damien said he's very creditable and at the very 544 00:31:29,441 --> 00:31:31,201 Speaker 2: least points should have taken his statement. 545 00:31:31,481 --> 00:31:34,761 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess this's probably the logical question is, well, 546 00:31:34,881 --> 00:31:36,521 Speaker 1: why did you hang on to it for so long? 547 00:31:36,681 --> 00:31:39,361 Speaker 1: Why didn't you say anything? At the time, I understand 548 00:31:39,401 --> 00:31:42,601 Speaker 1: that they were recent arrivals in Australia, didn't have much English, 549 00:31:42,641 --> 00:31:45,561 Speaker 1: did they have a television, so didn't understand the significance. 550 00:31:45,601 --> 00:31:48,841 Speaker 1: But later on he realizes, hey, I think I've seen 551 00:31:49,321 --> 00:31:50,641 Speaker 1: Cheryl Grimmer being abducted. 552 00:31:50,881 --> 00:31:54,121 Speaker 2: No, I mean, I'd have to sit down with him 553 00:31:54,121 --> 00:31:57,121 Speaker 2: and ask his reasons and stuff. And obviously people that 554 00:31:57,201 --> 00:32:00,281 Speaker 2: have known him that the BBC have spoken to as well, 555 00:32:00,321 --> 00:32:03,561 Speaker 2: like people that know him today, said you know, is 556 00:32:03,601 --> 00:32:05,921 Speaker 2: this guy looking for attention? And they all said no, 557 00:32:06,601 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 2: this is eating him up over the years. He really 558 00:32:09,721 --> 00:32:11,921 Speaker 2: didn't know what he saw on that day. Obviously, no 559 00:32:12,001 --> 00:32:15,801 Speaker 2: televisions his family didn't have any televisions and it wasn't 560 00:32:15,881 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 2: until years later that he realized what he saw. But 561 00:32:20,001 --> 00:32:22,841 Speaker 2: I believed speaking with Damon, that he thought it was 562 00:32:22,881 --> 00:32:24,601 Speaker 2: too late, there's nothing that could be done. 563 00:32:24,641 --> 00:32:24,801 Speaker 1: Now. 564 00:32:24,881 --> 00:32:26,841 Speaker 2: This was when I say years later, I mean many 565 00:32:26,921 --> 00:32:29,841 Speaker 2: years later. He's now a teenager, he's got a new 566 00:32:29,881 --> 00:32:32,881 Speaker 2: life in Australia now and stuff like that. So for 567 00:32:33,041 --> 00:32:37,641 Speaker 2: him to come forward and want to speak to police 568 00:32:37,681 --> 00:32:41,121 Speaker 2: at the time, it wasn't interested in the reward. He 569 00:32:41,281 --> 00:32:44,641 Speaker 2: just wanted to tell them what he believed he saw 570 00:32:45,001 --> 00:32:47,401 Speaker 2: on the day. Yeah, and also what I didn't know 571 00:32:47,521 --> 00:32:50,121 Speaker 2: at the time. I spoke to that amicide detective who said, 572 00:32:50,681 --> 00:32:53,721 Speaker 2: your witness is just a one out you get carved 573 00:32:53,761 --> 00:32:55,721 Speaker 2: up in the box. What I didn't know he didn't 574 00:32:55,761 --> 00:33:02,041 Speaker 2: know was that witness's later girlfriend corroborates his story. 575 00:33:02,761 --> 00:33:03,641 Speaker 1: He told her. 576 00:33:03,841 --> 00:33:07,321 Speaker 2: Many years ago, years before this million dollar reward. He 577 00:33:07,481 --> 00:33:11,601 Speaker 2: actually told her. And there was another another lady that 578 00:33:11,681 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 2: knows him. I believe she's a professor at Wollongong Universe 579 00:33:14,481 --> 00:33:17,361 Speaker 2: and knows him as well, and he has told her 580 00:33:17,401 --> 00:33:19,601 Speaker 2: the story over years as well what he saw on 581 00:33:19,641 --> 00:33:22,641 Speaker 2: that day, and she urged him over the years to 582 00:33:22,761 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 2: come forward and tell his story. He eventually has, you 583 00:33:27,801 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 2: offer a million dollar reward, but you don't speak to 584 00:33:30,641 --> 00:33:32,801 Speaker 2: like I believe, there's like three people that now have 585 00:33:32,921 --> 00:33:36,401 Speaker 2: come forward as a result of the BBC or Meadow podcast, 586 00:33:37,681 --> 00:33:41,921 Speaker 2: not one has been spoken to. There were five informants 587 00:33:42,001 --> 00:33:46,841 Speaker 2: that came forward that used to work with Mercury, and 588 00:33:47,521 --> 00:33:49,801 Speaker 2: not one of those have been spoken to. So we've 589 00:33:49,801 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 2: now got eight people sitting out there with information that 590 00:33:53,721 --> 00:34:01,001 Speaker 2: could get Cheryl's case moving forward. Eight people with solid information. 591 00:34:01,841 --> 00:34:05,401 Speaker 2: There was one one work colleague that he stated he 592 00:34:05,481 --> 00:34:08,681 Speaker 2: used to steal cars and drive them to Ferry Meadow Beach. 593 00:34:09,201 --> 00:34:13,201 Speaker 2: That's pretty solid information because now you're saying you've never 594 00:34:13,201 --> 00:34:15,281 Speaker 2: been to ferry Meadow Breach, but you've told a work 595 00:34:15,321 --> 00:34:18,241 Speaker 2: colleague because you're in a I believe it's his way 596 00:34:18,281 --> 00:34:23,521 Speaker 2: of gloating showing Cheryl's case. It's your way of gloating. 597 00:34:23,601 --> 00:34:26,441 Speaker 2: You're getting it out there, You're feeling good about yourself, 598 00:34:26,481 --> 00:34:30,881 Speaker 2: You've gotten away with it. It's not on the radar in Victoria. 599 00:34:31,001 --> 00:34:34,001 Speaker 2: That's probably why hidden Victoria, because it's not on the radar. 600 00:34:34,561 --> 00:34:39,761 Speaker 2: Advertised very heavily when it first happened and since twenty sixteen, 601 00:34:40,721 --> 00:34:45,081 Speaker 2: but once again, mostly in New South Wales, he's avoided 602 00:34:45,321 --> 00:34:50,041 Speaker 2: the spotlight. But from seventy one to twenty and sixteen 603 00:34:50,041 --> 00:34:53,361 Speaker 2: there's nothing about Cheryl Grimmer. So he's feeling really comfortable 604 00:34:53,401 --> 00:34:55,721 Speaker 2: in his work environment. I'm going to show my work 605 00:34:55,721 --> 00:35:00,681 Speaker 2: colleagues we believe his own daughter thought she was Cheryl Grimmer. 606 00:35:01,401 --> 00:35:03,561 Speaker 1: Yes, I've read this. Also, I don't think it's ever 607 00:35:03,601 --> 00:35:06,281 Speaker 1: been any effort to try to look at the code 608 00:35:06,281 --> 00:35:09,921 Speaker 1: of people who was in the Boy's Home or New 609 00:35:09,961 --> 00:35:13,081 Speaker 1: Mercury back in those days. There's also evidence of another 610 00:35:13,241 --> 00:35:15,961 Speaker 1: residence in Sydney separate to the Boy's Home where he 611 00:35:16,041 --> 00:35:18,801 Speaker 1: was staying. What about the people who were with him 612 00:35:18,841 --> 00:35:21,241 Speaker 1: at the time, where were they these days? There are records. 613 00:35:21,281 --> 00:35:22,721 Speaker 1: I know they're on paper and that it'll take a 614 00:35:22,721 --> 00:35:25,001 Speaker 1: while to find, but there are records of of he 615 00:35:25,041 --> 00:35:27,881 Speaker 1: was with in the Boy's Home. If he's told mister Leckey, 616 00:35:28,361 --> 00:35:30,081 Speaker 1: I'd back it, and he's told other people as well, 617 00:35:30,761 --> 00:35:33,361 Speaker 1: his behavior was erratic because he was a disturbed young 618 00:35:33,401 --> 00:35:38,881 Speaker 1: man who's potentially abducted, strangled and killed a three year 619 00:35:38,921 --> 00:35:41,001 Speaker 1: old girl. So I mean, I'm going to make an 620 00:35:41,041 --> 00:35:44,401 Speaker 1: offer to your witness today, because I think there's no 621 00:35:44,481 --> 00:35:47,281 Speaker 1: way to push this forward except through the court of 622 00:35:47,281 --> 00:35:51,681 Speaker 1: public opinion. And if his credibility is questioned, let's put 623 00:35:51,721 --> 00:35:55,281 Speaker 1: him on a polygraph. Steve Van Apron, my friend and 624 00:35:55,321 --> 00:35:58,561 Speaker 1: colleague from our Channel seven other show, would more than 625 00:35:58,721 --> 00:36:02,841 Speaker 1: willingly put him on the polygraph and test his credibility 626 00:36:03,401 --> 00:36:09,041 Speaker 1: and let the public decide whether this should or should 627 00:36:09,041 --> 00:36:12,281 Speaker 1: not be tested or be spoken to by police. And 628 00:36:12,321 --> 00:36:14,521 Speaker 1: I think this all comes back to and often say 629 00:36:14,561 --> 00:36:16,881 Speaker 1: this when I deal with long term missing persons cases 630 00:36:16,921 --> 00:36:19,401 Speaker 1: and murders as well, is a fresh inquest. 631 00:36:19,801 --> 00:36:23,201 Speaker 2: We've pleaded for a fresh inquest because there is so 632 00:36:23,361 --> 00:36:27,561 Speaker 2: much more information now available. You've got the five informants, 633 00:36:27,561 --> 00:36:32,721 Speaker 2: You've got the three witnesses, You've now got the author 634 00:36:33,081 --> 00:36:36,681 Speaker 2: of the confession. You've got everything now in front of you. 635 00:36:37,201 --> 00:36:40,801 Speaker 2: I mean, we believe a lot of things that he does. 636 00:36:40,841 --> 00:36:43,601 Speaker 2: Like even with mister Leckey, he said to mister Lecky 637 00:36:44,361 --> 00:36:48,241 Speaker 2: when he was an escapee, he was in a juvenile 638 00:36:48,281 --> 00:36:53,481 Speaker 2: detention home, had escaped when he had abducted a murdered cheryl, 639 00:36:54,161 --> 00:36:56,601 Speaker 2: and when he was sort of brought back to the home, 640 00:36:56,681 --> 00:37:00,161 Speaker 2: he actually said to mister Lecky while it was the 641 00:37:00,201 --> 00:37:04,161 Speaker 2: boy's shelter in Sydney. He actually says to mister Lacky, 642 00:37:04,161 --> 00:37:06,241 Speaker 2: he said, I'm going to have to pay for what 643 00:37:06,281 --> 00:37:09,440 Speaker 2: I've done when I was on the run, and mister 644 00:37:09,561 --> 00:37:12,321 Speaker 2: lake he said, well what did you do? He said, 645 00:37:12,801 --> 00:37:17,440 Speaker 2: I killed a security guard in a blue shirt. Hey, 646 00:37:17,481 --> 00:37:19,921 Speaker 2: you didn't he killed a little three year old in 647 00:37:19,961 --> 00:37:24,161 Speaker 2: a blue swimming costume. I believe he's a great manipulator. 648 00:37:24,841 --> 00:37:28,561 Speaker 2: I believe he likes to play games. I believe he's 649 00:37:28,561 --> 00:37:31,081 Speaker 2: a lot smarter than what police had given him credit for. 650 00:37:31,801 --> 00:37:33,601 Speaker 2: And who knows what hells he's done. 651 00:37:33,881 --> 00:37:36,361 Speaker 1: Well, he's certainly's shown. I think it's on the record 652 00:37:36,401 --> 00:37:39,961 Speaker 1: that he has an ability to manipulate authority. He sets 653 00:37:40,001 --> 00:37:41,681 Speaker 1: out to do this, and I think he even saw 654 00:37:41,681 --> 00:37:44,881 Speaker 1: it during the court process in twenty nineteen and before then, 655 00:37:45,281 --> 00:37:50,161 Speaker 1: that he runs these psychiatrists around in circles. 656 00:37:50,921 --> 00:37:56,321 Speaker 2: Well understand too, he sat in a prison cell for 657 00:37:56,401 --> 00:37:59,881 Speaker 2: two years. On the morning of the hearing of the 658 00:37:59,921 --> 00:38:05,001 Speaker 2: final hearing where Justice him made his decision, the psychiatrist 659 00:38:05,161 --> 00:38:08,841 Speaker 2: working for the DPP, Now this guy sat in John 660 00:38:09,001 --> 00:38:13,121 Speaker 2: for two years, comes late to the case, hasn't read 661 00:38:13,121 --> 00:38:17,521 Speaker 2: the confession, over the two years, hasn't even spoken to 662 00:38:17,601 --> 00:38:22,041 Speaker 2: Mercury once. Sitting in a New South Wales Security maximum 663 00:38:22,081 --> 00:38:28,161 Speaker 2: security jail. There was no effort by the DPP, by 664 00:38:28,401 --> 00:38:31,401 Speaker 2: the New South Wales Authority to look into this guy. 665 00:38:31,441 --> 00:38:34,401 Speaker 2: He just sat there. No one spoke to him. No 666 00:38:34,521 --> 00:38:37,161 Speaker 2: one went in to say, you know, this is what 667 00:38:37,201 --> 00:38:39,801 Speaker 2: you're being charged with, this is what's happened, to tell 668 00:38:39,881 --> 00:38:43,921 Speaker 2: us you view and have a chat to him. No psychologists, 669 00:38:44,681 --> 00:38:48,561 Speaker 2: as I say, the New South Wales authorities. He arrives 670 00:38:48,801 --> 00:38:54,441 Speaker 2: late to the final hearing, not read the confession. Where's 671 00:38:54,481 --> 00:38:59,361 Speaker 2: the seriousness in batting for Cheryl here? No one's helping 672 00:38:59,481 --> 00:39:02,601 Speaker 2: a little defenseless three year old. You've got a guy 673 00:39:02,681 --> 00:39:06,361 Speaker 2: locked up and you say you have got no opportunity 674 00:39:06,401 --> 00:39:07,841 Speaker 2: to go and have a chat to him. Well, I 675 00:39:07,841 --> 00:39:10,521 Speaker 2: can tell you where he was in silver Water if 676 00:39:10,561 --> 00:39:13,361 Speaker 2: you look up the address and the Yellow Pages come 677 00:39:13,401 --> 00:39:15,001 Speaker 2: and find him. He's really sitting there. 678 00:39:15,041 --> 00:39:16,641 Speaker 1: When you think of the cost of these proceedings, and 679 00:39:16,641 --> 00:39:19,121 Speaker 1: they're huge when they get these expert witnesses in My 680 00:39:19,201 --> 00:39:21,401 Speaker 1: dad was a psychiatrist and that was part of his 681 00:39:21,801 --> 00:39:23,801 Speaker 1: business was to do just these sort of cases. He 682 00:39:23,841 --> 00:39:26,081 Speaker 1: took them very seriously fortunately, But I'm not going to 683 00:39:26,081 --> 00:39:29,321 Speaker 1: cast dispersions on this particular psychiatrist. But I think the 684 00:39:29,361 --> 00:39:31,521 Speaker 1: facts speak for themselves, and I think these sort of 685 00:39:31,601 --> 00:39:34,041 Speaker 1: aspects should be tested in the corridor's court in the 686 00:39:34,041 --> 00:39:37,241 Speaker 1: fresh inquestion. There's certainly illegal path to do that with 687 00:39:37,321 --> 00:39:39,641 Speaker 1: his fresh and compelling evidence, but also to review the 688 00:39:39,801 --> 00:39:43,161 Speaker 1: entire police case, which has never really been done. You've 689 00:39:43,161 --> 00:39:47,401 Speaker 1: got what I'm calling the thermonuclear option. Now. Jeremy Buckingham, 690 00:39:47,761 --> 00:39:50,841 Speaker 1: Member of Parliament New South Wales has offered to use 691 00:39:50,881 --> 00:39:56,121 Speaker 1: parliamentary privilege to name Mercury publicly. It's a big step. 692 00:39:56,761 --> 00:40:00,241 Speaker 2: It's a huge step, and my brothers and I we 693 00:40:00,561 --> 00:40:05,081 Speaker 2: spoke about it over the last week, family members in 694 00:40:05,161 --> 00:40:08,361 Speaker 2: the UK, we've all spoke about it, and we think 695 00:40:08,441 --> 00:40:11,961 Speaker 2: we are at a point we've got no choice but 696 00:40:12,161 --> 00:40:18,841 Speaker 2: to take Jeremy's offer to name Mercury in parliament, to 697 00:40:18,921 --> 00:40:22,881 Speaker 2: read the confession out loud, word for word in parliament 698 00:40:23,681 --> 00:40:25,601 Speaker 2: and put a name to it. Put a name to it. 699 00:40:25,961 --> 00:40:30,481 Speaker 2: Now we've been told he will be hounded by the media, 700 00:40:30,761 --> 00:40:34,841 Speaker 2: by the press, his family, everybody, because now what's happened 701 00:40:34,881 --> 00:40:38,801 Speaker 2: to us over the last seven years since learning about 702 00:40:38,881 --> 00:40:42,121 Speaker 2: this confession is now going to be on him, and 703 00:40:42,161 --> 00:40:45,121 Speaker 2: the spotlight will be well and truly on him and 704 00:40:45,161 --> 00:40:50,841 Speaker 2: his family. I would urge him now to contact his lawyers, 705 00:40:51,641 --> 00:40:57,481 Speaker 2: set up a meeting with our family, police, his lawyers 706 00:40:57,521 --> 00:41:01,841 Speaker 2: at a location of his choosing, and tell us if 707 00:41:01,881 --> 00:41:06,281 Speaker 2: the confession is false, why you made it, and how 708 00:41:06,321 --> 00:41:11,121 Speaker 2: you knew what you confess to what you saw, and 709 00:41:11,721 --> 00:41:15,121 Speaker 2: we want to know why and how you knew this information, 710 00:41:16,161 --> 00:41:20,801 Speaker 2: if it was just you being a teenager and seeking attention, 711 00:41:20,961 --> 00:41:23,801 Speaker 2: tell us. But at the moment, you just keep hiding 712 00:41:23,841 --> 00:41:28,881 Speaker 2: behind this retrospective law, staying quiet. We've had homicide detectives 713 00:41:29,001 --> 00:41:33,801 Speaker 2: tell us they know it's you. You've told us it's you. 714 00:41:34,641 --> 00:41:39,961 Speaker 2: Everybody's telling us it's you. Now it's your time, your spotlight. 715 00:41:40,481 --> 00:41:44,761 Speaker 2: Now you have to explain to the media, to the public. 716 00:41:45,481 --> 00:41:48,601 Speaker 2: The public have so much anger towards you as a 717 00:41:48,641 --> 00:41:52,401 Speaker 2: person at the moment because you've confessed to this and 718 00:41:52,481 --> 00:41:55,201 Speaker 2: you hide behind this law. You don't even have the 719 00:41:55,281 --> 00:41:58,081 Speaker 2: decency if it was a lie, to come and tell us, 720 00:41:58,521 --> 00:42:01,841 Speaker 2: because you're a coward. A three year old little girl 721 00:42:02,121 --> 00:42:07,521 Speaker 2: had more courage than you. Implore you to contact your 722 00:42:07,601 --> 00:42:11,561 Speaker 2: lawyers today because I will push the green light on 723 00:42:11,641 --> 00:42:12,841 Speaker 2: this next week. 724 00:42:14,721 --> 00:42:16,321 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you how long will you 725 00:42:16,361 --> 00:42:18,841 Speaker 1: give him? Because I mean, there's obviously this is a 726 00:42:18,921 --> 00:42:22,161 Speaker 1: dangerous situation, it's volatile. I mean some would say that 727 00:42:22,321 --> 00:42:26,121 Speaker 1: it might jeopardize his right to a fair trial. I 728 00:42:26,161 --> 00:42:29,041 Speaker 1: personally think that's just rubbish. I mean, I've seen this 729 00:42:29,161 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 1: so many times over the years of my crime journalism career, 730 00:42:31,961 --> 00:42:35,161 Speaker 1: where the defendants barrister says, oh, I know my client 731 00:42:35,281 --> 00:42:37,241 Speaker 1: is now too well known. He certainly can't get a 732 00:42:37,241 --> 00:42:39,161 Speaker 1: fair trial because he's been named in the change of 733 00:42:39,161 --> 00:42:42,241 Speaker 1: the media. But I think the record shows that juries 734 00:42:42,321 --> 00:42:46,681 Speaker 1: take more time and diligence to look at these questions 735 00:42:46,681 --> 00:42:48,641 Speaker 1: and get them right. But also in South Wales, he's 736 00:42:48,681 --> 00:42:51,201 Speaker 1: got the charts for a judge only trial, so it 737 00:42:51,241 --> 00:42:54,201 Speaker 1: becomes a mood point. So how long will you giving me? 738 00:42:54,201 --> 00:42:55,401 Speaker 1: A second? Maybe a couple of weeks. 739 00:42:55,521 --> 00:42:58,921 Speaker 2: I'll give him two weeks to protect his family. Now 740 00:42:59,161 --> 00:43:01,401 Speaker 2: you've got family out there. I know that you've got 741 00:43:01,401 --> 00:43:04,001 Speaker 2: a son, you've got a daughter, you've got an ex wife, 742 00:43:04,001 --> 00:43:06,561 Speaker 2: you've got a current wife, you've got other family members, 743 00:43:06,601 --> 00:43:10,041 Speaker 2: You've got family members in the UK. Here's your chance 744 00:43:10,121 --> 00:43:12,440 Speaker 2: to do the right thing, and if it was all 745 00:43:12,521 --> 00:43:15,201 Speaker 2: a pack of lies, come and tell us and we 746 00:43:15,281 --> 00:43:18,841 Speaker 2: can stop, we can stop chasing you. But I'm telling 747 00:43:18,881 --> 00:43:21,801 Speaker 2: you now, it's going to have to be compelling. You're 748 00:43:21,841 --> 00:43:24,201 Speaker 2: going to have to convince us that this was a 749 00:43:24,321 --> 00:43:28,321 Speaker 2: bunch of lies when everybody else and you tell us 750 00:43:28,601 --> 00:43:30,681 Speaker 2: what you said in your confession to be true. 751 00:43:31,281 --> 00:43:33,761 Speaker 1: Tell me, I mean, this has been something that you've 752 00:43:33,801 --> 00:43:36,921 Speaker 1: been living with since January the twelve, nineteen seventy. How 753 00:43:37,041 --> 00:43:37,761 Speaker 1: you going with it all? 754 00:43:38,841 --> 00:43:42,641 Speaker 2: What do you think? I'm a mess? Our family's a mess. 755 00:43:44,041 --> 00:43:49,161 Speaker 2: You know, you get blamed by underknownst to me at 756 00:43:49,161 --> 00:43:52,641 Speaker 2: the time, you're not biological father. And it wasn't until 757 00:43:52,681 --> 00:43:55,201 Speaker 2: many years later that I found out. But who I 758 00:43:55,241 --> 00:43:59,001 Speaker 2: believe was my father wasn't my biological father. It wasn't 759 00:43:59,081 --> 00:44:04,081 Speaker 2: until I was thirtained. So his hatred towards me, and 760 00:44:04,321 --> 00:44:07,521 Speaker 2: after that, after Cheryl was taken, after that day was 761 00:44:08,201 --> 00:44:12,681 Speaker 2: we had a volatile relationship thereafter. And when you sort 762 00:44:12,681 --> 00:44:15,681 Speaker 2: of hear every night when they're arguing, you know, why 763 00:44:15,681 --> 00:44:17,161 Speaker 2: did he leve he? Why did he lever he? And 764 00:44:17,201 --> 00:44:19,921 Speaker 2: he carry that blame then with your all your life. 765 00:44:21,321 --> 00:44:25,001 Speaker 2: And that's why I will not lay down until I 766 00:44:25,081 --> 00:44:28,561 Speaker 2: know the truth about this confession, about this guy Mercury, 767 00:44:29,401 --> 00:44:31,081 Speaker 2: and you're all going to know his name within a 768 00:44:31,121 --> 00:44:35,921 Speaker 2: couple of weeks who he is, and then everybody that's 769 00:44:36,001 --> 00:44:38,321 Speaker 2: known this guy over the years. We've got stories that 770 00:44:38,801 --> 00:44:42,681 Speaker 2: a young lady got into his taxi one night. He 771 00:44:42,761 --> 00:44:45,641 Speaker 2: was a taxi driver as well, got into his taxi. 772 00:44:45,721 --> 00:44:48,601 Speaker 2: She was so scared she made him stop to get out. 773 00:44:49,601 --> 00:44:52,921 Speaker 2: She's one of the informants that come forward and years 774 00:44:53,041 --> 00:44:56,401 Speaker 2: later she runs into him in the same work environment. 775 00:44:57,321 --> 00:45:01,801 Speaker 2: She was terrified. The ex wife is terrified of him. 776 00:45:01,841 --> 00:45:04,841 Speaker 2: What type of guy is this out in the st 777 00:45:05,161 --> 00:45:09,041 Speaker 2: It's running around the streets where his ex wife's terrified. 778 00:45:09,561 --> 00:45:12,601 Speaker 2: People that used to work with him were terrified of him. 779 00:45:13,201 --> 00:45:16,321 Speaker 2: What type of person is this guy? Well, he can't 780 00:45:16,361 --> 00:45:17,481 Speaker 2: hide anymore. 781 00:45:17,441 --> 00:45:19,721 Speaker 1: No, And I think he also know. I know he's 782 00:45:19,761 --> 00:45:23,041 Speaker 1: been questioned in relation to the Frankston tyin On murders 783 00:45:23,721 --> 00:45:26,281 Speaker 1: and with possible links to the I think it's nineteen 784 00:45:26,321 --> 00:45:30,041 Speaker 1: seventy six disappearance of Elouise wallage Ye. This may open 785 00:45:30,081 --> 00:45:32,801 Speaker 1: the door to resolve other cases, or at least give 786 00:45:32,841 --> 00:45:36,121 Speaker 1: him the chance to deny them and be eliminated from 787 00:45:36,161 --> 00:45:36,481 Speaker 1: all this. 788 00:45:37,201 --> 00:45:40,721 Speaker 2: You know, you've got a guy that's confessed to murder 789 00:45:40,761 --> 00:45:45,521 Speaker 2: in one state, he's a person of interest in unsolved 790 00:45:45,721 --> 00:45:49,361 Speaker 2: homicides in another state. What type of person is this? 791 00:45:49,561 --> 00:45:53,641 Speaker 2: I mean what drew police in Victoria to him in 792 00:45:53,681 --> 00:45:57,841 Speaker 2: relation to hunsold homicides in Frankston. They did not know 793 00:45:57,961 --> 00:46:00,440 Speaker 2: at the time when they interviewed him, but he had 794 00:46:00,481 --> 00:46:03,881 Speaker 2: confessed already to a child murder in New South Wales. 795 00:46:04,401 --> 00:46:07,041 Speaker 2: So why don't New South Wales and Victoria police get 796 00:46:07,081 --> 00:46:10,801 Speaker 2: together start talking build a picture of profile on this guy. 797 00:46:11,921 --> 00:46:14,361 Speaker 2: I believe he's done more things. You don't stop. I mean, 798 00:46:14,641 --> 00:46:17,761 Speaker 2: he's gone in confessed and police let him walk out. 799 00:46:18,201 --> 00:46:21,001 Speaker 2: I thinks, well that's pretty easy. Might be able to 800 00:46:21,001 --> 00:46:23,721 Speaker 2: do this again. How much more has he done? And 801 00:46:23,761 --> 00:46:27,561 Speaker 2: he's still walking the streets in Victoria here, it's going 802 00:46:27,641 --> 00:46:29,841 Speaker 2: to be some pretty angry people when they find out 803 00:46:29,841 --> 00:46:30,521 Speaker 2: where he lives. 804 00:46:31,361 --> 00:46:34,761 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, the next several X will be a watershed 805 00:46:34,761 --> 00:46:37,281 Speaker 1: in this case. And I wish you all the very 806 00:46:37,321 --> 00:46:41,841 Speaker 1: best of luck and that we move this forward. And 807 00:46:41,961 --> 00:46:44,361 Speaker 1: you've got to stop blaming yourself, Ricky. You've got you've 808 00:46:44,361 --> 00:46:46,721 Speaker 1: done everything you possibly could for your sister. You know, 809 00:46:46,801 --> 00:46:51,561 Speaker 1: I've dealt with a number of people like you have 810 00:46:51,841 --> 00:46:54,881 Speaker 1: lost banding members and it is very hard. But I 811 00:46:54,921 --> 00:46:57,921 Speaker 1: think all of Australia is behind you, all the right 812 00:46:58,001 --> 00:47:01,401 Speaker 1: thinking people, and they know the blinked approach the police 813 00:47:01,441 --> 00:47:04,401 Speaker 1: had and the courts all the way through to this. 814 00:47:05,041 --> 00:47:06,721 Speaker 1: We just want this whole thing to be resolved. So 815 00:47:06,761 --> 00:47:08,681 Speaker 1: I really do wish you all the very best with it, mate, 816 00:47:08,721 --> 00:47:10,401 Speaker 1: and I will look forward to getting you back on 817 00:47:10,761 --> 00:47:13,161 Speaker 1: Rukiman Adam Sham when we could talk about this Blake's name. 818 00:47:13,321 --> 00:47:16,921 Speaker 2: All we want is the honest answers. That's what we want. 819 00:47:45,721 --> 00:47:49,601 Speaker 1: That's Ricky Nash, brother of Cheryl Grimmer, disappeared in January 820 00:47:49,801 --> 00:47:53,681 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy. This case again highlights something that's a bit 821 00:47:53,881 --> 00:47:57,561 Speaker 1: unpalatable about a justice system. The victim and their family 822 00:47:57,721 --> 00:48:01,801 Speaker 1: is not represented in the court. They think the prosecutor 823 00:48:01,881 --> 00:48:04,921 Speaker 1: is there for them. They're not. They're there for the Crown, 824 00:48:05,681 --> 00:48:09,361 Speaker 1: the accused as a barrister and they talk through the 825 00:48:09,361 --> 00:48:13,601 Speaker 1: court proceedings. He's solely there. There's nobody in the court 826 00:48:14,001 --> 00:48:17,561 Speaker 1: for the victim. Is this right? And I can understand 827 00:48:17,681 --> 00:48:20,641 Speaker 1: Ricky's frustration and the family. I mean, Ricky wasn't even 828 00:48:20,761 --> 00:48:23,681 Speaker 1: even interviewed for decades after he was there on the 829 00:48:23,721 --> 00:48:27,281 Speaker 1: beach that day. At the very least, a fresh inquest 830 00:48:27,921 --> 00:48:32,241 Speaker 1: must be held into this case to highlight the failures 831 00:48:32,281 --> 00:48:36,201 Speaker 1: of police, not just in nineteen seventy, but in twenty nineteen. 832 00:48:36,601 --> 00:48:39,561 Speaker 1: A million dollar reward, well haha, who's going to pick 833 00:48:39,641 --> 00:48:41,761 Speaker 1: up that million dollar award? I see there's dozens of 834 00:48:42,521 --> 00:48:45,121 Speaker 1: million dollar rewards and nothing ever happens. It's got to 835 00:48:45,161 --> 00:48:47,361 Speaker 1: be human will here. We saw it with Frank san 836 00:48:47,401 --> 00:48:50,041 Speaker 1: Vittali and Damian Lion. They had the will to attack 837 00:48:50,081 --> 00:48:54,521 Speaker 1: this case. Ricky just needs a prosecutor a couple more 838 00:48:54,521 --> 00:48:57,961 Speaker 1: coppers to have the same dash as Frank and Damien. 839 00:48:58,641 --> 00:49:01,441 Speaker 1: That's all I can say. Get in touch if you've 840 00:49:01,481 --> 00:49:02,201 Speaker 1: got thoughts about this