'Issues' with 1999 investigation into alleged murder of Gulgong teenager Michelle Bright, Dubbo's Supreme Court hears

Craig Henry Rumsby, 56, is on trial for the alleged murder of Ms Bright in 1999 as well as an alleged sexual attack on another Gulgong teenager in 1998. Rumsby has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Ms Bright has been identified with the permission of her family.

Monday, May 29 marked the 16^th day of the trial in Dubbo's Supreme Court where four witnesses took to the stand.

One of those, former Detective Inspector David Payne led the 2002 re-investigation into the death of Ms Bright.

Mr Payne, who has since retired from NSW Police, was asked by Crown prosecutor Lee Carr SC why people were re-interviewed in 2002.

"Because there were some issues in the initial investigations that weren't fully explored," Mr Payne said.

"From memory there were issues with the 1999 investigation where some people hadn't been spoken to who should have been, so it was setting about making sure they were spoken to.

"It was mainly to address those issues the 1999 investigation hadn't fully explored."

One of the people not interviewed by police in 1999 was Mark Hawkins, who has previously given evidence as to his whereabouts on the evening of February 26-27, 1999.

The court heard the transcript of an interview between Mr Rumsby and police conducted on December 6, 1999.

Mr Rumsby told officers he spent the day of February 26, 1999 doing work for an acquaintance on a nearby property in Cooks Gap, where he was residing at the time.

Cooks Gap is around 24 kilometres east of Gulgong.

When asked what time he left, Mr Rumsby said: "I think I left at 3am (February 27), it could have been a little bit earlier."

He told police he went home and didn't go into Gulgong.

The jury heard from former police officer Bruce Pearce, the aforementioned acquaintance had contacted police in August 1999 regarding Mr Rumsby.

The individual told police Mr Rumsby had indeed been at their property but left "before midnight and possibly as early as 11pm."

The trial continues.

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