# Podcast delayed paedophile's trial by 10 months

> The Australian's Shadow of Doubt podcast about a convicted child abuser forced a court to delay his trial for new sex offence charges, court documents show.
- Title: Podcast delayed paedophile's trial by 10 months · the Guardian
- Summary: The Australian's Shadow of Doubt podcast about a convicted child abuser forced a court to delay his trial for new sex offence charges, court documents show.
- Keywords: the australian, shadow of doubt, william gilfillan, victoria, child abuse, trial delay, podcast, suppression orders, news, politics, delayed, paedophile's
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/media/2026/oct/12/shadow-of-doubt-podcast-the-australian-victoria-schoolgirls-trial-delay-ntwnfb
- Published: 2026-10-11T14:00:29+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: the australian, shadow of doubt, william gilfillan, victoria, child abuse, trial delay, podcast, suppression orders, news, politics
## Podcast delayed sex offence trial
The Australian's Shadow of Doubt podcast delayed the trial of William Rob Gilfillan, a former PE teacher, by ten months.
## Gilfillan already serving 48-year sentence
Gilfillan was already serving a forty eight year jail term for abusing his daughter in New South Wales.He was convicted in two thousand sixteen of rape and torture.
## Podcast questioned conviction as miscarriage
Shadow of Doubt, launched in March two thousand twenty three, claimed Gilfillan's conviction for rape and torture of his daughter may be a grave miscarriage of justice.

> We're innocent … these things just did not happen.
## Details led to online identification
Although suppression orders prevented naming Gilfillan, details such as family involvement in high level athletics and teaching meant people recognised them.
## Barrister argued prejudice made trial unfair
Kounnas said the podcast and journalist Richard Guilliatt's jail interview sparked feverish speculation on Reddit.

> It has been inflamed to such a degree by the podcast, which I understand was reasonably high profile, that it's fuelled the internet flames, so to speak.
## Judge delayed trial, ordered content removed
Justice Michael O'Connell denied a permanent stay but ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions to remove prejudicial material from the internet.

> I'm very troubled by the continuing position where these comments remain on the internet notwithstanding that, for weeks now we've identified a very significant problem potentially affecting the fairness of the trial and nothing's been done it seems to resolve the problem.
## Jury convicted Gilfillan in December
When the trial went ahead in December, the jury found Gilfillan guilty of brazen and forcible sexual crimes.
## Key takeaway

The Australian's Shadow of Doubt podcast delayed a paedophile's trial by ten months after his barrister argued online publicity made a fair jury trial impossible.