A " Person of Interest " !

There is no doubt that the disappearance of William Tyrrell, the " Boy in the Spiderman outfit   " has gripped public interest since he went missing from his grandmothers home in 2014.   Every twist and turn of the search has been carried out under the gaze of television cameras.  There has been wide speculation about how this crime may have occurred and who is responsible.   There is deep suspicion he may have been the victim of a paedophile.

Unfortunately, investigations that attract public interest also have the ability to brand perfectly innocent people as perpetrators when they are named as a " person of interest " during the investigation.  That can be devastating when no further explanation is forthcoming and in the public mind there remains a widespread notion of " guilt ".

Just such an association befell a man named Bill Spedding.   On the day of the abduction, he called at the grandmothers house to give a quote for the repair of the family washing machine.  Mr Spedding is a self employed repair contractor and he drives a white van which a neighbour  reported seeing suspiciously moving on a bush track that day.   That report was later amended to " a van similar to the one used by Mr Spedding ".

Naturally the police investigated Mr Spedding.   They searched his home and his van but did not publicly clear him. Calls to his repair business fell away sharply when that " person of interest " designation appeared in the news.  It seems that the police are taking no action to publicly clear his name and let him get on with his life.  Families are not likely to ask a repairman to come to their homes when publicity appears to name him as a possible criminal paedophile.

The police time William's disappearance as happening at 10-15 am on that day and give a possible ten minute each way window.  Bill Spedding is able to prove that he and his wife, Margaret paid for coffee, a citrus tart and a croissant at a Laurieton café at 9-42 on that morning.   They paid with the couples joint bankcard which recorded the exact timing.

They then went across the road to Laurieton public school to witness an assembly in which a family relative received an award.  A local milkman gave evidence that he observed them at that event.  There does seem conclusive proof that Bill Spedding could not possibly have been at Benaroon drive when the abduction took place.

It seems that the only way Bill Spedding can get relief from this association with the William Tyrrell disappearance is to sue the police, either for malicious prosecution or for tort of misfeasance in public office.  If that happens the police will defend the action and engage high profile lawyers to act in their interests - paid for from the public purse.  Bill Spedding is put in the position of having to go to court to prove his innocence.  What happened to that maxim of "  Innocent until proved guilty "  ?

Naming a person as being a " person of interest " carries with it an association of guilt.   We need a law change to prevent the police naming " persons of interest " unless they are prepared to actually lay charges.  Otherwise, police carelessness can ruin innocnt livers  !