EIGHT weeks after a deputy state coroner recommended a reward be offered for information leading to the conviction of Jessica Small’s killer, there has been a deafening silence from authorities about when that reward will be announced.
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An inquest into Jessica’s abduction and presumed murder wrapped up in June after three weeks of hearings.
Deputy state coroner Sharon Freund returned an open finding, declaring Jessica Beth Small died on or after October 26, 1997. Ms Freund said the death was suspicious and Jessica had died at the hands of a person unknown.
In his submissions to the inquest, counsel assisting Ian Bourke recomm-ended a substantial reward of not less than half a million dollars should be offered for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for Jessica’s death.
Mr Bourke also submitted for Ms Freund’s consideration that a reward be made for information that leads to the recovery of Jessica Small’s remains.
When handing down her findings on June 6, Ms Freund recommended to both the Minister for Police and the Attorney General of NSW “that consideration be given to the NSW Government offering a substantial monetary reward for information leading to the conviction of any person or persons for the abduction and murder of Jessica Small”.
She said that sum, in her view, should not be less than $500,000.
Despite the recommendation, there have been no developments.
When contacted by the Western Advocate yesterday, a spokesperson for NSW Police’s State Crime Command would not comment.
Instead, the office issued a statement which read: “For investigative reasons, police do not offer comment on the processes involved in applying for and announcing Ministerial rewards.”
However, the Western Advocate understands that as of yesterday, no application for reward has even been lodged in this case.
That compares with the $100,000 reward offered in 2008 for information on another missing Bathurst woman, Janine Vaughan, who was last seen alive in December 2001. That reward still stands.
Jessica Small was abducted in the early hours of October 26, 1997 after she and her best friend Vanessa Conlan accepted a lift with a man driving a white Commodore in the city’s CBD.
The driver agreed to take the girls to a friend’s house in Kelso. Minutes after they got into the car, however, the driver pulled over and attacked the teenagers.
Vanessa made it out of the car and ran for help, but Jessica has not been seen since.
For Jessica’s mum Ricki, this is just another hurdle in a battle that has gone on for 17 years.
“I just want to know why I have to continually wait,” she said.
“Aren’t they interested in finding out what happened to Jessica?”
“This reward could flush out some information, the coroner has recommended it, so I can’t understand the hold-up.
“When it comes to Jessica, there has always been some type of hiccup or hold-up in her case, and it’s a beyond a joke.
“It’s a circus; the way we have been treated is disgraceful and disgusting.”