Latest news with #DanielMorcombe
News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
Detective reveals the subtle clue that gave away Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Cowan immediately
From the minute retired detective Dennis Martyn drove up the driveway of paedophile Brett Peter Cowan's house just two weeks after the disappearance of 13-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, he knew something was off. 'His house was on the front of the block,' he explains, 'there was a lot of - I wouldn't say kids' toys - but there were a lot of things around in the yard, like little windmills that Cowen had made, all sorts of things he would take to markets and sell. But they were painted in such a way that to me, I thought a kid would want them, you know? There were butterflies on the blades of the windmills and all this sort of stuff.' 'I said to [detective Ken King, Martyn's partner] straight away: 'that's a bit strange, mate. It just looks like a kid's area'. And I knew he didn't have any children at that age.' But it was the conversation Martyn would have with the house's inhabitant that would change everything. From the moment Martyn and King left Cowan's house that day in December 2003, they were convinced he was their suspect. Sitting down with fellow ex-detective Gary Jubelin for an episode of Jubelin's podcast I Catch Killers, Martyn recalled the moment, over 20 years ago, that convinced him Cowan was the perpetrator. It was two weeks since Daniel had last been seen waiting for a bus, on his way to buy Christmas gifts for his family. Martyn, who at the time was working as a senior constable on Task Force Argos, a team responsible for investigating child sex offences, had been handed the file. 'At that time, they gave you a series of folders [full] of convicted, released sex offenders in that area,' he tells Jubelin. 'Our job was to go around and check out their bona fides. If they said, 'I was at the shop at that time', you would spend half the day going to the shop, getting CCTV to verify their alibi. That's how we came up, and one of the people in the file was Brett Peter Cowan.' Martyn was already aware of Cowan's criminal history, most notably his 1993 conviction for the horrific rape of a six-year-old child in the Northern Territory. He was also aware that a white 4WD with a black snorkel had been seen near the underpass where Daniel Morcombe was last seen, which matched the description of Cowan's vehicle. Once they'd arrived at Cowan's house, the two officers began questioning the paedophile about his whereabouts on the day of Daniel's disappearance. After admitting he 'might have gone in and picked something up at Nambour' around the time Daniel was last seen on the Nambour Connection Road, Martyn says Cowan was 'acting cocky.' 'He was a skinny sort of fellow, and every movement was accentuated, that's sort of the way he was,' Martyn recalls. 'He was very cocky and straight away I didn't like him. I said to Ken, 'just keep an eye on this bloke, mate'.' 'I said, 'did you happen to see a little child with black hair on the underpass from the other side near the bus stop?' [Cowan said] 'No, no, no. Not at all. Never saw anybody.' I said, 'well, did you see a white 4WD with a snorkel on it?' 'No.' 'I said, 'do you think it is a coincidence that you drive a white car with a snorkel on, and it's a four wheel drive, and someone's saying they saw something similar on that side of the road?'' Martyn decided it was time to apply more pressure. 'I said, 'you're a paedophile. A bad one by the sounds of it. And Daniel is in your [preferred] age group'. And he goes: 'well, he looked it.'' 'I said, 'did he? That's strange. I thought you said you didn't see anyone,' [and he said], 'oh, well I might have pulled over.'' 'I said: 'so now we've established two things. First, you've pulled over and you reckon you've seen Daniel, and [second] you're a liar. But we all know you're a liar, because paedophiles are liars.' And then he started to get cranky.' In spite of this, and the officers' conviction that Cowan was responsible for Daniel's abduction, it would be another eight harrowing years for the Morcombe family before their son's remains were found, and Cowan apprehended after a lengthy undercover sting operation which became the subject of the 2022 Netflix film The Stranger, starring Joel Edgerton. But it wasn't for Martyn and King's lack of trying. 'Ken briefed the major incident room the next day,' Martyn explains. 'And that was it. It was quietly dismissed.' 'So that people understand the working of a strike force, whether it be in Queensland or down here,' explains Jubelin, 'all that information comes in at briefings. As you said, Ken briefed the major incident team and said, 'OK, this is our take on it'. You've done the report, submitted that, and you would think that there would be some priority given to what needs to be done.' 'At that point in time, our report dictated that that should have been the case,' agrees Martyn. 'My reports are reasonably concise and very clear and accurate in relation to what recommendations should and should not be done. 'The recommendations on that report were very clear - basically, he's your main suspect. If he's not, he should be, and everything should be done to rule him in rather than trying to rule him out … but they never even went and seized his computers.' Brett Peter Cowan is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Daniel Morcombe and will be eligible for parole in 2031.
Herald Sun
27-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Letting my 11-year-old go fishing alone taught me more about parenting than I expected
We grew up with scraped knees, stranger danger and the 'be home before dark' rule. So why does giving our own kids an ounce of independence feel so terrifying? Don't miss out on the headlines from Parenting. Followed categories will be added to My News. When my 11-year-old asked if he could go fishing with his mates - no adults, just the kids - I felt like he was asking to walk into the wilderness with a butter knife and a prayer. Never mind that the river is five minutes from our house. Or that he's more responsible than half the adults I know. My gut response? Absolutely not. But then, I remembered my own childhood. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. Rusty pipes, sea caves and absolutely no helmets My husband grew up in Scotland, where his days were spent roaming castle ruins and fields with his cousins. Meanwhile, I was in suburban Sydney, riding my bike through backstreets, looking for whichever house had a pile of bikes out the front - the universal 1980s sign for 'your mates are here'. We'd spend hours in the bush on dodgy homemade skate ramps, exploring sea caves, balancing on rusted pipelines that led to the oyster farms, and jumping on trains to the beach with a few coins and a muesli bar. No one knew where we were. Our only job was to be home before dark, or call from a payphone if we were angling for a sleepover. RELATED: I 'underparent' - but no need to call the cops, the kids are fine Stranger danger was a sticker on a mailbox Stranger danger was covered once a year at school, and some houses had 'Safety House' stickers on the mailbox - little yellow signs letting kids know someone inside could be trusted if things went sideways. That was it. Good luck, kids. Have fun out there. Our kids? Not so much. Now we worry like it's our full-time job. We worry. Constantly. Maybe it's the internet. Maybe it's the heartbreaking stories of kids like Daniel Morcombe, Madeleine McCann and William Tyrrell, embedded in our collective memory. Whatever it is, we've raised our children like the big bad wolf is waiting around every corner. We look back now and realise we may have overcorrected. RELATED: The benefits of unstructured free play We were free-range. Our kids are on leashes. We live near the water, and for years we've watched local kids - same age as ours - walking past our house with tackle boxes and rods. 'I can't believe their parents let them go alone,' we'd gasp, clutching our invisible pearls. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. Our kids would beg to walk to the park by themselves. And we - who once balanced barefoot on rusted steel pipelines - would drive them and awkwardly loiter in the background like overgrown hall monitors. But lately… we've had an epiphany. Maybe we've been a bit much. Enter: The Fish Kid Our youngest, now 11, is a devoted fisherman. He watches fishing YouTube channels religiously, learning knots and techniques with the same intensity other kids reserve for Fortnite. He begs his dad to take him down to the river every spare weekend. A couple of his friends are part of a crew of regular local fishers. They trot off after school with their gear and are home by dusk - sun-kissed, muddy, beaming. And our son? He's been begging to go with them. Non-stop. So last weekend, we caved. RELATED: I'm a self-confessed helicopter parent… and I know I need to stop IF IF IF IF IF We agreed. With conditions. He could go: If they fished at the spot five minutes from our he took a he promised to call if he felt unsafe or he was okay with me 'swinging past' (read: low-key stalking from a respectful distance). If he answered his phone. Every ten minutes. Without fail. His friends didn't even roll their eyes. Not to my face, anyway. They were just thrilled he could come. They practically beamed. I, meanwhile, turned into a phone pest. "Mum, I'm trying to catch a fish. Can we not?!"'MUM, I CAN'T TALK. Brodie saw an eel, we're trying to catch it!''MUM, I'M FINE. That noise? That's just Kaden laughing. We're trying to use red frog lollies as bait.' 'MUM… WHAAAAT?' He had the best time. So what's really changed? Why was I so worried? Sure, we've got more data, more headlines, more fear than our parents had - but has the world really become more dangerous, or have we just lost the ability to let go a little? I don't have the perfect answer. I still tracked his location. I still hovered in the background. I still felt a pit in my stomach that didn't fully go away until he came home, sunburnt and proud, holding up a photo of a fish his friend caught. But I also felt something else. Pride. That he's ready for these tiny steps of independence. And maybe pride that I'm finally ready too. Maybe this is what parenting is meant to feel like Because as much as we joke that we're raising our kids in bubble wrap, what we're really trying to do is raise them to be capable, confident, and okay without us - eventually. And sometimes, that starts with letting them go fishing. Originally published as Letting my 11-year-old go fishing alone taught me more about parenting than I expected Parenting The implication is unmissable. Parenting 'I feel like he never gets a good night's rest."
Courier-Mail
27-06-2025
- Courier-Mail
Letting my 11-year-old go fishing alone taught me more about parenting than I expected
Don't miss out on the headlines from Parenting. Followed categories will be added to My News. When my 11-year-old asked if he could go fishing with his mates - no adults, just the kids - I felt like he was asking to walk into the wilderness with a butter knife and a prayer. Never mind that the river is five minutes from our house. Or that he's more responsible than half the adults I know. My gut response? Absolutely not. But then, I remembered my own childhood. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. We find it hard to let our kids go out into the world. Image: Supplied Rusty pipes, sea caves and absolutely no helmets My husband grew up in Scotland, where his days were spent roaming castle ruins and fields with his cousins. Meanwhile, I was in suburban Sydney, riding my bike through backstreets, looking for whichever house had a pile of bikes out the front - the universal 1980s sign for 'your mates are here'. We'd spend hours in the bush on dodgy homemade skate ramps, exploring sea caves, balancing on rusted pipelines that led to the oyster farms, and jumping on trains to the beach with a few coins and a muesli bar. No one knew where we were. Our only job was to be home before dark, or call from a payphone if we were angling for a sleepover. RELATED: I 'underparent' - but no need to call the cops, the kids are fine Stranger danger was a sticker on a mailbox Stranger danger was covered once a year at school, and some houses had 'Safety House' stickers on the mailbox - little yellow signs letting kids know someone inside could be trusted if things went sideways. That was it. Good luck, kids. Have fun out there. Our kids? Not so much. Now we worry like it's our full-time job. We worry. Constantly. Maybe it's the internet. Maybe it's the heartbreaking stories of kids like Daniel Morcombe, Madeleine McCann and William Tyrrell, embedded in our collective memory. Whatever it is, we've raised our children like the big bad wolf is waiting around every corner. We look back now and realise we may have overcorrected. RELATED: The benefits of unstructured free play We were free-range. Our kids are on leashes. We live near the water, and for years we've watched local kids - same age as ours - walking past our house with tackle boxes and rods. 'I can't believe their parents let them go alone,' we'd gasp, clutching our invisible pearls. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. Our kids would beg to walk to the park by themselves. And we - who once balanced barefoot on rusted steel pipelines - would drive them and awkwardly loiter in the background like overgrown hall monitors. But lately… we've had an epiphany. Maybe we've been a bit much. Enter: The Fish Kid Our youngest, now 11, is a devoted fisherman. He watches fishing YouTube channels religiously, learning knots and techniques with the same intensity other kids reserve for Fortnite. He begs his dad to take him down to the river every spare weekend. A couple of his friends are part of a crew of regular local fishers. They trot off after school with their gear and are home by dusk - sun-kissed, muddy, beaming. And our son? He's been begging to go with them. Non-stop. So last weekend, we caved. RELATED: I'm a self-confessed helicopter parent… and I know I need to stop Why is so hard to give our kid a little independence? Image: Supplied. IF IF IF IF IF We agreed. With conditions. He could go: If they fished at the spot five minutes from our house. If he took a phone. If he promised to call if he felt unsafe or unsure. If he was okay with me 'swinging past' (read: low-key stalking from a respectful distance). If he answered his phone. Every ten minutes. Without fail. His friends didn't even roll their eyes. Not to my face, anyway. They were just thrilled he could come. They practically beamed. I, meanwhile, turned into a phone pest. "Mum, I'm trying to catch a fish. Can we not?!" 'MUM, I CAN'T TALK. Brodie saw an eel, we're trying to catch it!' 'MUM, I'M FINE. That noise? That's just Kaden laughing. We're trying to use red frog lollies as bait.' 'MUM… WHAAAAT?' He had the best time. So what's really changed? Why was I so worried? Sure, we've got more data, more headlines, more fear than our parents had - but has the world really become more dangerous, or have we just lost the ability to let go a little? I don't have the perfect answer. I still tracked his location. I still hovered in the background. I still felt a pit in my stomach that didn't fully go away until he came home, sunburnt and proud, holding up a photo of a fish his friend caught. But I also felt something else. Pride. That he's ready for these tiny steps of independence. And maybe pride that I'm finally ready too. Our own parents wouldn't have even known if we were out fishing! Image: Supplied. Maybe this is what parenting is meant to feel like Because as much as we joke that we're raising our kids in bubble wrap, what we're really trying to do is raise them to be capable, confident, and okay without us - eventually. And sometimes, that starts with letting them go fishing. Originally published as Letting my 11-year-old go fishing alone taught me more about parenting than I expected
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix thriller leaves viewers 'gripped' with retelling of true story
Directed by Thomas M. Wright, The Stranger is a psychological crime thriller that is inspired by the real-life investigation of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe Penned and helmed by Thomas M. Wright, the 2022 psychological crime thriller 'The Stranger' draws its inspiration from Kate Kyriacou's factual tome 'The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer'. Reflecting on the heart-wrenching murder case of 13 year old Daniel Morcombe, the film casts a light on the intricate investigation of a child's kidnapping. It follows undercover detective Mark Frame (portrayed by Joel Edgerton) as he embarks on a covert mission to befriend Henry Teague (played by Sean Harris), the main suspect in the case. 'The Stranger' made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 within the Un Certain Regard category, subsequently enjoying a select cinema release across Australia. Later that year, it garnered international attention with its launch on Netflix for worldwide streaming. Boasting an impressive 92 per cent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, 'The Stranger' was met with widespread acclaim. One critic hailed it as "a standout, a high-octane look into the pursuit of a criminal – a compelling and measured film that delivers," while another described it as "Taut and effective." In July 2022, amidst concerns over the use of their son's tragedy for promotional gains, Daniel's parents 'demanded' that the filmmakers stop using their late son's name in marketing efforts, reports the Mirror US. The producers of The Stranger issued a press release regarding the movie's portrayal: "The Stranger is a fictionalised account of the undercover police operation that resulted in a successful murder prosecution. "With the deepest regard for the family involved, we've omitted any mention of the victim's name from our film, and it contains no representation of the murder's particulars. Nor does it portray the family in any form or fashion. "The focus instead lies on the unheralded police professionals whose years of service, not to mention their mental and physical well-being, were dedicated to cracking this case alongside others of a similar nature. We had initially reached out to the victim's family during the film's early stages to inform them of the project; however, they opted not to participate – a choice which we continue to honour." Critics have found favour with the film, one noting: "The Stranger offers strong, subtle performances from its leads, and a freshly vital approach to familiar material." Praise has also flowed for the director, as one review extols: "Wright artfully directs his film with the kind of precision that'll keep you hanging on to every shot." Audience reactions have been equally enthusiastic, with one viewer declaring: "Brilliant, just brilliant. Edgy, disturbing, paced, enough without too much being said... do yourself a favour. Plug in and shake yourself." Another said: "Stunning film. No other film in a long time had me as gripped and absorbed as this, even more so on the second watch. Truly visceral, but there's no denying you need to steel yourself for it. "I particularly enjoyed the score, and the varying blends of tension and mood drifting throughout. Superb lead performances and a great example of a low budget/big impact production."
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 20 years on: The 'red herring' that let Daniel Morcombe's murderer slip through police officer's fingers, plus the glaring error that meant he was free to kill in the first place
'Ten years ago you made a choice to rip our family apart.' These were the words Bruce Morcombe, the grieving father of Daniel Morcombe, who was kidnapped from a Sunshine Coast bus stop by pedophile Brett Peter Cowan in 2003, spoke to his killer in court.
