Former NSW homicide detective Gary Jubelin has suggested William Tyrrell may have been accidentally killed by a neighbour, a court has heard.
WATCH: New police video shows William Tyrrell’s foster mother speaking with police
The former cop led the investigation into William’s disappearance and is currently in court accused of illegally recording conversations with Paul Savage.
Mr Savage lived across the street from William when he disappeared from his home in Kendall in September 2014, and was among hundreds of persons of interest.
One recording, in which Jubelin discusses the possibility William died in an accident caused by Mr Savage’s wife, who has since died, was played in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, SMH reports.
Mr Jubelin said Mr Savage’s account of that morning, that he was searching bushland for 30 minutes on his own then returned home to have a cup of tea, is a lie.
“Why would I lie?” Mr Savage asked.
“You’re covering up for Heather because there was an accident,” Mr Jubelin said. “Heather might have run over William.”
Mr Savage said if his wife had run over the three-year-old she would have “screamed the roof down”.
He then stated he thought Mr Savage could have accidentally run over the boy because William was known to go looking for his dad’s car.
“What if it wasn’t Heather, what if it was you?” Mr Jubelin asked.
“There’s no way in the world either one of us would hurt a child,” Mr Savage said.
“He’s all excited to see his dad, you’re moving your car and there was an accident, people understand it,” the then-detective inspector said.
Mr Jubelin, a former detective chief inspector, quit NSW Police last year.
The hearing continues.
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