THE mother of missing Bathurst teenager Jessica Small wiped tears from her eyes yesterday as police admitted for the first time that they had bungled their initial investigation.
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On the first day of an inquest into Jessica’s abduction and presumed murder almost 16 years ago, counsel for the NSW Police Force, Michael Spartalis, conceded the initial police investigation into her disappearance was deficient.
Mr Spartalis told the inquest, which got under way at Bathurst Local Court before deputy state coroner Sharon Freund, that the initial investigation was “somewhat lacking” and that lines of inquiry which should have been examined were not.
Ricki Small, Jessica’s mother, began crying as he spoke.
Mr Spartalis told the inquest that police failed to follow up witnesses, adding that the significance of what those witnesses had to say would never be known.
However, Mr Spartalis said that since Detective Sergeant Peter Smith took over the case in 2007 the matter now has produced “one of the most comprehensive and best police briefs” he has seen.
Mr Spartalis also told the court that a number of changes have been implemented within the NSW Police Force which ultimately prevent the shortcomings which occurred in Jessica’s case from ever happening again.
As the inquest began, Ms Freund offered her apologies to Jessica’s family that the case had taken so long to reach this stage.
She acknowledged the angst, stress and pressure Jessica’s family had endured over the past 16 years as they waited for answers about what had happened to her.
“I don’t know if we will find the answers, but I do hope we will find some answers,” Ms Freund told the family.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Ian Bourke, gave an outline of the evidence to be presented this week, saying police had assembled a large volume of material, especially since 2007.
Mr Bourke said a number of theories had been put forward by a number of people, but only one had any credible evidence to support it: that Jessica Beth Small was abducted.
Mr Bourke said the inquest would focus primarily on this theory.
This week the inquest is expected to hear from up to 30 witnesses. The inquest will then be adjourned until May 2014 when it will again be held at Bathurst Court House.
