A reopened inquest into the deaths of 15 people who were killed in a firebombing at the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in Brisbane almost 50 years ago has ended, with convicted killer Vincent O'Dempsey giving evidence.
In 2017, O'Dempsey and a co-accused, Garry Dubois, were sentenced to life in jail over the 1974 manslaughter of Brisbane woman Barbara McCulkin and the murder and rapes of her two daughters, Vicki, 13, and Leanne, 11.
At the end of their trial, the court was told there was evidence that allegedly pointed to the pair killing the family out of fear that Mrs McCulkin might implicate them in the 1973 arson attack on the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in Fortitude Valley, which prompted the fresh probe.
On Monday, O'Dempsey took the stand in the Coroners Court in Brisbane and refused to take an oath or affirmation, saying: "I decline to do either."
"A fraud has been perpetrated on this court by the use of false witnesses and a farcical presentation of a report to the coroner by Detective Virginia 'corrupted' Gray," O'Dempsey told the hearing.
State coroner Terry Ryan compelled O'Dempsey to answer questions, without providing the sworn declaration, telling him now was not a time to "make a speech" and O'Dempsey agreed.
"If it pertains to the Whiskey Au Go Go inquiry, and you keep it to that, I will be happy to assist," O'Dempsey said.
O'Dempsey was questioned extensively about the McCulkin case, which he originally pleaded not guilty to, and he continued to deny any involvement, saying it was "absurd".
When asked if he had killed anyone, O'Dempsey said: "No murders as far as I'm concerned".
"I haven't killed any people," O'Dempsey told the inquest.
O'Dempsey also denied having anything to do with the firebombing, telling the court "I never arranged anything".
"I've never had any involvement in any arsons," he said.
"I had nothing to do with the Whiskey Au Go Go … I've never met [James] Finch, nor had any dealings with him — I've never had dealings with [John] Stuart."
John Stuart and James Finch were sentenced to life in prison over the fatal fire.
Stuart died in Brisbane's Boggo Road jail in 1979, while Finch was paroled in 1988 and deported to the UK.
Finch has since died, in England, in 2021.
'Never, ever be complete closure' for family
Outside court, Sonya Carroll — who lost her mother, Decima Carroll, in the blaze — said she was "very, very disappointed" that O'Dempsey was not being cooperative.
"When he wouldn't take the oath, that was an indication to me that we're not going to get the answers we were looking for, but we were prepared for that," she said.
Ms Carroll said there would "never, ever be complete closure" for her family, but the inquest had provided new details.
"Not a lot of information was given to me as a child," she said.
"We'll never get the full answer, but I've got a lot and I'm happy with what I got … to me that's a win."
Ms Carroll said she was "exhausted mentally" and was glad the inquest was finally over.
The coronial inquiry — which has been sitting for 29 days, spread across the past 12 months — is trying to determine whether anyone else may have been involved in the firebombing.
Throughout the hearings, evidence has been heard from a long list of people, including survivors of the blaze, family and friends of those who died, former police officers as well as from secret witnesses, including an anonymous informant.
Disgraced former NSW police detective Roger Rogerson, who was involved in the initial police investigation, also gave testimony to the court.
State Coroner Ryan will take written closing submissions from the legal teams involved in the case over the next six months, before reserving his findings.
