Approche production.
In this podcast, you've heard a lot of the allegations that Eden might have been groomed by a person in a position of power.
Across the last.
Thirty odd episodes, you've heard allegations about teachers, police officers, and also Eden on her own social media. One of the names that's kept coming up was the name of Paul Reynolds. He's the police officer that took his own life after the police searched his home and found evidence of child sex crimes. At the time of his death on the thirteenth of September twenty eighteen, he was a
senior sergeant in the Tasmanian Police. He was given a full police funeral while the investigation for his sexual misconduct was closed and put in a police file room in Lonceston and not investigated again. It wasn't until a coroner started looking into other officers suicide in Tasmania that reynolds file was reopen. On September one, twenty twenty three, the coroner handed down his findings, which included the most likely fact was that Reynolds committed suicide because he was being
investigated by police. In twenty twenty three, Donna Adams, the Police Commissioner of Tasmania, asked for an independent inquiry into reynolds crimes. It was really important to herb.
I think it's probably had more of an emotional impact because of the report I made in two thousand and eight.
I feel very disappointed. Yeah, it's my job to make this right.
Commissioner Adams appointed a barrister, Regina Weiss, to conduct an independent investigation. It was handed down and made publicly available on the twenty eighth of June this year.
This is the most prolific grooming I have seen perpetrated by one person in my career.
There's a few reasons why and how this relates to Eden Westbrook's death. Firstly, the fact that Paul Reynolds was attached to the Northern Coroner's Office. He was there from the thirteenth of April twenty fifteen to the twenty seventh of February twenty seventeen. He was also named by the coroner in the inquest notes about Eden.
Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds of the Long Diston Coroner's Office also provided regular oversight and direction during the investigation period. At my request, I am satisfied that have received all available evidence that could reasonably assist me to determine the matters set out in section twenty eight one of the coroners out in nineteen nine.
What Jason and Amanda and everyone involved in this case were hoping for is that this report into Reynolds might shed some light on what happened to Eden, in particular the evidence that was gathered by police, and the fact that Reynolds had oversight into Eden's case, and of course the allegations that Eden was being groomed by a person in a position of power. The report from Regina Weiss
was over sixty five pages long. It was very thorough and had five recommendations, which included a framework to help anyone that was groomed or sexually abused by Reynolds, another framework for anyone that had been groomed or sexually abused
from any officer. It also asked for a dedicated victim management team inside the police and also asked to change the legislation of the Integrity Commission, which has asked for independent investigations into any police officer who are alleged to have groomed or sexually abused someone.
He was a master at it he groomed victims, he groomed their parents, he groomed the communities, the sporting clubs, he groomed his own colleagues.
Not once in that sixty five pages was Eden Westbrook's name mentioned or anything about Saint Helen's. Eighty seven people were interviewed over an eight month period with the Regina Weiss investigation. Police were not present in any of the interviews and they were done completely independent from the police. One hundred percent of the victim survivors were male, and
it spanned a thirty year period. Twenty four members of Reynold's own police department were interviewed, both current and former officers. The investigation was completely trauma informed, which means the questioning and the interviews ensured the physical, psychological, cultural, and emotional safety of any person and provided an opportunity for victim survivors to regain control of their own experience. Inside the investigation,
over forty thousand social media messages were seen. They spanned eight years. They looked at over five thousand text messages, two four hundred images, and almost three hundred videos.
You'll remember this.
All started in two thousand and eight when a social gathering at a bar which had Interstate offices attending, overheard a conversation in which Reynolds was described as a pedophile. He's an excerpt from the report. We've used AI to read some of the comments.
There were two specific examples of alleged inappropriate conduct discussed amongst the group in the bar. One related to Reynolds having been witnessed giving a teenage boy a massage in his home as the teenage boy sat between Reynolds's legs. The other involved the wife of one of the police officers being asked by concerned members of the community about
rumors of Reynolds purportedly consorting with teenage boys. The interstate police officers were alarmed, despite the social nature of the conversation, and rightly reported what they had overheard to a Tasmania Police Divisional inspector, who, in adhering to protocol and procedure, formally reported it up the hierarchical line to the commander
of the then Internal Investigations Unit. An assistant commissioner at the time, who had also heard the conversation in the police Academy bar, made a statement to the effect that there was no mention of Reynolds being a pedophile and that the conversation had been misunderstood by the interstate police officers. He further noted in his written statement that the allegations could be potentially very damaging consequences for a person wrongfully accused.
No further investigation was pursued and the matter was closed. The recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner at the time was that Reynolds should not be told of the complaint to avoid him being upset with the two senior police officers involved.
Nothing happened about that report, and everything about Reynolds being a pedophile went quiet until twenty eighteen. On September six, twenty eighteen, a Tasmanian police officer lodged a detailed complaint regarding Reynolds. He is an extract from the September sixth report, again with his day.
I to read the report.
The information infers the senior sergeant is procuring young persons for sexual purposes or grooming young persons. That he is sending photographs of his genitalia to children with the inference he would be receiving child exploitation material in return from them. Senior Sergeant Reynolds is heavily involved and linked in administration
of Tasmanian football. Senior Sergeant Reynolds is widely reputed in the Delarraine area as being a pedophile, and it is known reputedly that you do not go to Paul's house alone. There have been a number of parents who have warned Senior Sergeant Reynolds of having anything to do with their children and sons as a result of his creepy behavior, and if he is at the club, he is watched closely and not welcome. However, due to his position as a police officer, there is a reluctance to confront him.
He is reputed to groom young boys, presumably for sex, and is known to be highly inappropriate around young boys, making inappropriate sexual comments and touching them inappropriately.
Within days of this report, interviews were conducted by professional standards. They spoke to officers and the teenage boys identified in the September sixth report. It included a witness who observe Reynolds massaging a naked boy at the football club clubrooms. Those interviews, a material found on the teenage boy's phone in various messaging apps including Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, revealed that Reynolds had regularly sent pictures of his penis to
several teenage boys. He'd coerced teenage boys to send pictures of themselves naked. After this investigation in twenty eighteen started, Reynolds borrowed a gun from his next door neighbor and took his own life. So what happened to that investigation back in twenty eighteen after Reynolds took his life much like the one in two thousand and eight. Nothing, He's an excerpt from the report read by AI after his suicide.
There was no follow up, no confirmation that there was evidence to support the claims, no wellbeing support. The investigation just ended. Not a message, not a phone call, absolutely nothing.
Now, this is all really shocking information that we've brought you previously in the podcast.
But how is it connected to Eden?
As I said earlier, Eden's name wasn't mentioned in the report, but there are some bits that we found interesting. It did say that despite no evidence of actual manipulation of investigation or prosecuculation.
Of investigations or prosecutions being uncovered, it became clear as the review progressed that Reynolds had used the perception that he had power to influence the outcome of criminal processes as a grooming mechanism. One participant who knew Reynolds through sporting administration told the review he made out he had a lot of influence in the police force.
One former police officer who worked with Reynolds said, I know.
There is speculation that he influenced prosecution cases. I had no idea how he could because he was never at work. He hated work. Sometimes boys would get pulled over drink driving, or there was an assault in the footy club. It was like, go and chat to Paul about it. Of course he didn't fix it, but he acted like he did. Being so naive, you just believe Paul had an influence, but in reality he never did.
I now want to take a left turn and go back to the notes that Jason and Amanda took while Reynolds was looking into Eden's case back in twenty fifteen. These are notes that Jason kept in a scrapbook around the contact they had with police and anything else. Second of June twenty fifteen, Amanda rings the Coroner's Associate's office in Launceston. This is when Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds tells Amanda he's in charge of Eden's case. Amanda asks Reynolds
how long will the investigation take. Reynolds then replies with three months if nothing suspicious, six months if they've found something, twelve months if there are people of interest, in eighteen months if highly suspicious. Amanda then again requested for detectives from Lawnceston to take over the investigation from the officers in Saint Helen's as she explained that she didn't feel
they were doing enough. Fourth of June twenty fifteen, Jason and Amanda receive an email from Senior Sergeant Reynolds regarding Saint Helen's District High School and the screenshots that they sent of Kate's Facebook page. Sixteen June twenty fifteen, Amanda calls the Northern Coroner's Office in Launceston and again speaks to Paul Reynolds. Before June twenty fifteen, Amanda calls the
Northern Coroner's Office in Law System and again speaks to Reynolds. Then, on the second of September twenty fifteen, Amanda makes another call to the Northern Coroner's Office in Lnceston and again speaks to Paul Reynolds. Paul said that he had sent the report back to Saint Helen's police officers. Paul said, it's not what's in it, it's what's not in it. We assumed that he was talking about the coroner's file.
It seems from Jason and Amanda's notes that Reynolds was heavily engaged with Eden's case.
Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds of the Lonston Coroner's Office also provided regular oversight and direction during the investigation period.
At my request, welcome back.
I want to take you back to the report from Regina Weiss about Reynolds and look into the allegations that maybe Reynolds was part of a petophile ring.
Reynolds used sport to find and groom his victims and then eventually sexually abuse some of them. Sport was his hunting ground.
You might remember, we've heard from former students who have come forward to the podcast alleging they were groomed by a teacher on basketball camps. Reynolds was connected to both the AFL and basketball in Northern Tasmania. The report made mention.
Of this the extent of Reynolds's grooming and sexual abuse of young males over a prolonged period is truly shocking and horrific. However, there was nothing uncovered throughout the course of the review to show or even suggest that he was collaborating with other adults in his conduct.
This next bit is shocking.
It details how Reynolds was grooming and his pattern. The reason I want to read it is because we've heard from experts before that this pattern is not unusual. In fact, we've heard from victim survivors on this podcast that tell us it's the way it happened to them. The first thing that happened is he would send a friend request. He then initiates friendly conversation. He moves them from Facebook
over to the messenger app. In some cases from the messages we've seen, boys seem surprised to receive initial messages from Reynolds, but engage in a conversation. Nevertheless, he's an excerpt Reynolds, he played really well today, mate, That extra training is paying off. Reynolds then begins to test boundaries. He maintains regular contact with boys, generally about football or basketball, but with the occasional inappropriate message, testing how far he
could go, usually under the guise of banter. Thought you were hoping to get some hand action.
I don't care.
I love you anyway, even if you did it yourself. Your thing is big, isn't it beautiful?
Boy?
How are you? Have you been naughty?
Step four or was Reynolds declaring his love.
The grooming escalate with sexual innuendos becoming more prolific through declarations and feelings of love towards the boy, coupled with immediate apologies. You are all I could want. Sorry, don't hate me. I can't help it. Sorry if I embarrass you, you know how I feel. I'm sorry if that offends you. I think you're beautiful. I think I love you. I know you think I'm weird, but God, I love you. Step five is Reynolds would then move to Snapchat with photos.
He entices the boys to move out of Snapchat, where messages disappear after short periods. Explicit photos are exchanged, and in some cases Reynolds coersus boys to take photos of themselves, and the final step is Reynolds rangers to meet boys in person, including picking him up in reynolds car from school, taking him to football training football on weekends, to give them massages. In some cases, sexual contact is made so
we know that Reynolds groomed people through sport clubs. We also heard in the podcast last year that a friend of Reynolds, who was a young Jim junkie at the time, was also groomed. The report also brought up other areas of Reynolds abuse, but this time within his own police department. One former police officer recalled his interactions with Reynolds when he was a young recruit under reynolds authority.
He sexually assaulted me twice at work. Once was in the office. He came in and groped me. It was a proper group, not a flick. He would have one hand on my chest and one hand on my private parts and he would hold you there. He would get physical with me all the time.
Serving and former police officers expressed that Reynolds made the impression that he was connected to the highest echelons of Tasmania Police, which deterred junior officers from reporting his conduct for fear of impeding their chance of promotion. A serving police officer told the review that Reynolds.
Made sure you knew he was untouchable.
One bystander, who from a distance saw Reynolds engaging in questionable conduct with a teenage boy, said he was reluctant to report it to anyone, let alone police, for fear of reprisal. I found this bit really interesting because we've heard allegations on this podcast of police officers grooming young people in Tasmania and in particular in Saint Helen's. We've had numerous people come forward. We can also see that these police officers have been at some time friends on
Facebook with Reynolds. Is it possible that Reynolds might protect other officers that were doing the same thing as him. The report looked into this and found this.
Pattern of behavior, wherein Reynolds developed trusted and perceived caring relationships with his victims before escalating to sexual abuse or attempting to coerce sexual contact, is consistent with someone who worked alone rather than in a collaborative group.
So that report found that Reynolds was acting alone. He didn't seem to be part of some pedophile ring. They checked his records and could see that he wasn't chatting with anyone else about his disgusting acts. He was acting alone. This report from Regina Weiss is a great step forward to reform in Tasmania. And it might save some other victims and help current victim survivors of Reynolds or any other abuse within the force.
That's the hope.
Our hope is that it also might uncover other police officers that are dirty, that have been grooming young girls. That might lead to some answers into how this fits into Eden Westbrook's case. Although the terms of reference for the Regina Weiss investigation related to Reynolds, people with information about grooming and all sexual abuse committed by other former or serving Tasmanian police officers have also participated in private sessions. His a bit from the report.
In that context, seven referrals have been made to Tasmania Police. Another referral was made to another organization in relation to a person who is not a police officer.
What this report has uncovered, which is important, is that Reynolds, who was as a report states, lazy and lacks in his police work and was attached to the Eden Westbrook case. Remember he provided regular oversight.
Paul Reynolds of the Longston Coroner's Office also provided regular oversight and direction during the investigation period at my request.
To make it clear, in this case, oversight means supervision of a job, and that job was the investigation into Eden Westbrook's death. Information would have been passed through Reynolds onto the coroner. Reynolds could have asked police that were investigating for information or even helping junior officers conduct a thorough investigation. Remember, Reynolds had been a cop for over thirty years. Did that play a role in what the
curenter did or did not see in Eden's case? Did Reynolds miss anything along the way because he was busy trying to groom young boys? And if he did miss anything, what did he miss? Maybe the CCTV footage or the woman who has spotted on that CCTV at two am talking to Eden. What about an interview with the girl we call Kate that was done back in twenty fifteen. Finally, what did Reynolds mean when he told Amanda back on September two, twenty fifteen, when he said.
It's not what's in the report, it's what's not.
In the next episode of Our Little LADYE Okay, So this is the person that reached out to Jason Amanda and says they used to work in the corner's office and they've got information they want to be anonymous.
So let's see how we go. As I've been listening to the podcast, you know, you've been sort of asking the questions, and I am sort of answering them in my head as they're being asked.
So I think I can provide a lot of insight for you without