Jerry Thibault
Jerry Thibault (2009)
Nicholas Cassim
Episodes: 4784-4814, 4842-4865, 4985
Marital Status: Linda
Occupation: Newspaper editor
Jerry took over as editor of the Coastal News around the beginning of 2009, replacing previous editor Gavin Johnson.He met Belle to congratulate her on her article on the cancer cluster and explained he was trying to move away from the sensationalist style of writing that Gavin had favoured, offering her a job as a features writer.A few weeks later, he was impressed when Belle brought him a story about drugs being sold at the local school and asked her to bring him the name of the dealer.Belle found the matter awkward since Freya was her dealer as well but eventually managed to expose Freya without incriminating herself.
Belle noticed Jerry in hospital while she was there working on a story and saw him kissing their colleague Paula Gill.She learned he had been in a car accident and Paula had been with him.When Jerry’s wife Linda visited him, he acted as though he had been alone in the car and Belle said nothing.Jerry admitted to Belle that he was having an affair with Paula and offered to make her acting editor if she kept quiet.Belle agreed but Jerry was overruled by the owner, who made Paula acting editor.
After Belle’s drug habit saw her fired and landed her in rehab, Jerry approached her and offered her $5000 to take a photo of Liam, one of her fellow patients, with his family but Belle refused.Jerry later became involved when a severed hand was found on the beach, quizzing first Alf, Miles and John and then Charlie about the possibility of it being the result of a shark attack.John in particular was keen to prevent the rumour spreading and nearly came to blows with Jerry before Charlie moved them all on.
When Irene ended up in jail on remand, accused of murdering Lou De Bono, Jerry asked Belle to get him an interview with her.He reminded her that Aden had broken the camera of one of his photographers, who had been hassling Belle, and threatened to have him charged with criminal damage, which would have landed him in jail since he was on a good behaviour bond, if Belle didn’t agree.Liam stepped in and offered Jerry an exclusive interview when he got out of rehab in exchange for him leaving Irene and Aden alone. Jerry compromised by printing an article supporting Irene.
Soon after though, Jerry approached Belle in the Diner about the rumours Liam had fallen off the waggon, saying their deal was off.When Aden stepped in to defend Belle, Jerry warned him that if he laid a finger on him he’d have him charged with assault and said he should have done so already.Belle went to Liam’s motel and, finding him on drugs, tried to get him to hospital but Jerry was waiting outside with his camera and began taking photos of Liam, panicking him and causing him to take refuge on the roof.Jerry remained on hand, observing the situation, as Aden talked Liam down and he was taken away in an ambulance.
Jerry made his last appearance six months later when he approached Alf at the bait shop, saying he was doing a report on the allegations that Miles had assaulted Riley Radcliffe.Alf refused to discuss the matter with him, doubting Jerry’s ability to give a balanced account of the situation.