Prisoners could target a man accused of the McCulkin triple murder and falsely claim he made a jailhouse confession, his defence attorney has warned a Brisbane court.
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For Vincent O'Dempsey and Gary Reginald Dubois, an appearance in Brisbane's arrest court was 40 years in the making.
Charged with the 1974 murders of Barbara McCulkin and her daughters Vicki and Leanne, Mr O'Dempsey is now 76 and Mr Dubois 67.
Mr O'Demspey's lawyer Terry O'Gorman warned his client was at risk of being "verballed" in prison by inmates trying to win favour with police, by claiming that he confessed to the murders.
"I have advised Mr O'Dempsey because of the profile and notoriety of this case, that there is a very real risk that he will be the subject of a jail verbal or a false allegation that in jail he confessed to a prisoner in relation to the subject matter of these charges," Mr O'Gorman said.
"Mr O'Dempsey, on my advice, will not be discussing any aspect of this case with anyone whatsoever, at the jail, court or the watch house."
Despite their advancing years, there was no special treatment for the pair as they were processed in the Brisbane arrest court.
Just like all accused who spend time in the watchhouse before facing a magistrate, the pair were kept in the holding cells while they waited to formally hear the charges against them.
Mr O'Dempsey and Mr Dubois were also each charged with three counts of deprivation of liberty and two other serious offences.
Both men deny the charges.
Mr O'Dempsey was brought into the dock first, where under the intense gaze of the court gallery he sat patiently while other people's minor cases for drugs, stealing and abusive language were heard.
Wearing a brown prison jumper and jeans, the clean shaven 76-year-old leant back in his chair, stretched his legs out and crossed his arms.
At times he glanced over to Mr Dubois' daughter who was in the front row of the public gallery, giving her a friendly and familiar nod.
Mr Dubois' time in the dock was far more brief, with the 67-year-old dressed in a black T-shirt and faded denim shorts. He also greeted his daughter with a knowing nod.
Given both men were facing murder charges, neither was able to apply for bail in Monday's Magistrates Court hearing. However their lawyers said they would apply for bail in the Supreme Court soon.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan adjourned the case until November 24.
Detective Inspector Mick Dowie, one of the most senior officers from Queensland Police's homicide squad cold case unit. was also in court.
The bodies of Barbara McCulkin, Vicki and Leanne have never been found but they are presumed dead after vanishing from their Highgate Hill home on January 16, 1974.
The case has been one of Queensland's most mysterious, and numerous theories have swelled about what happened to the trio.
On Saturday, police laid murder charges and said new evidence had come to light in the investigation, however investigators declined to say what that was.
