Tyrell foster father gave false evidence: cops
The former foster father of missing boy William Tyrrell will fight allegations he knowingly gave false or misleading information in court.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously pleaded not guilty to a single change related to evidence given to the NSW Crime Commission.
The man’s lawyer, Phoebe MacDougal, reiterated the 56-year-old’s intentions to fight the allegations at Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday.
The court was told that all outstanding briefs had been served by police and the former foster father was ready to front a two-day hearing in November.
The 56-year-old was due to face a hearing into the same charges in March, but that date was postponed until after a separate hearing at Parramatta Local Court.
William’s foster mother was last year found not guilty of lying to the NSW Crime Commission following a hearing at the same Sydney court.
Police alleged the woman said in evidence to the commission that she had struck a child, who was not William, with a wooden spoon.
Magistrate Miranda Moody said she could not find beyond a reasonable doubt that the foster mother had willingly lied to the commission.
The NSW Crime Commission works alongside the NSW Police to investigate serious crimes and has the power to compel people to give evidence.
William was only three years old when he vanished from his foster grandmother’s house at Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast on September 12, 2014.
The disappearance and subsequent cold case drew national attention and sparked the formation of one of the largest ever investigative units by NSW Police.
Years on, the body of William – who would now be aged 12 – has never been found and no one has ever been charged over his disappearance and suspected death.
