Ric Blum gives evidence in inquest into missing mum Marion Barter

The secret lover at the centre of missing mum Marion Barter’s inquest has told a coroner her sexual appetite was part of the reason he ended their fling.

The secret lover and conman at the centre of missing Gold Coast mum Marion Barter’s inquest has recounted their first interactions and told an inquest he wouldn’t perjure himself “for the sake of a fling”.

Ms Barter, a Southport schoolteacher, was last seen by her family in June 1997, days before she flew overseas for what was meant to be a year-long holiday in the UK and Europe.

She flew back into Australia in August 1997 with her name changed to Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, but her family never heard from her again.

Ballina and Byron Bay hearings of an inquest into her disappearance have largely focused on her purported secret lover Ric Blum, who used the alias Fernand Remakel among others.

The inquest has previously heard Mr Blum was a man with international fraud convictions and allegedly scammed several women across NSW.

No charges have ever been laid in the case or against Mr Blum.

Mr Blum spoke about his relationship with Ms Barter while giving evidence on Friday.

He said he had a two day affair with her in the 1960s in Switzerland and remembered Ms Barter being “very, very old-fashioned”.

At the time, she was still married to Socceroo great Johnny Warren.

He later re-acquainted himself with her in 1997, when he responded to a companionship ad in the paper.

Mr Blum said he cut out the ad and left it lying around his house, something counsel assisting the coroner, Adam Casselden, said was “an extraordinary thing to do for someone having an extramarital affair”.

Mr Casselden suggested Ms Barter may have been “vulnerable” at the time of the ad, which Mr Blum refuted.

Mr Blum claimed he didn’t know it was Ms Barter who he had met 20 odd years ago and was “surprised” to see her when they met at a Gold Coast carpark.

He immediately knew it was his lover from the 1960s and claimed Ms Barter “jumped on my neck” recognising him as well.

“It was a surprise because I never thought I would meet her again,” he told the inquest.

Mr Blum said he stopped the relationship claiming Ms Barter’s “insatiable” sexual appetite was to blame in part.

“I told Marion I wasn’t continuing the charade because I had a wife and two children,” he said.

“Afterwards I told my wife.”

When asked, he couldn’t recall their last words.

Mr Blum also gave evidence about another mistress, Janet Oldenburg.

He told the inquest he was “bewitched” by Ms Oldenburg who he claimed he travelled to Europe with in 1999 to seek out agents for her belly dancing future.

“It was the dream of her life to go on the stage,” he said.

“She bewitched me with her naked belly dancing performance.”

Her dancing career was not mentioned in Ms Oldenburg’s previous inquest testimony nor Mr Blum’s previous police 2021 interview.

Mr Casselden suggested Mr Blum “wooed” Ms Oldenburg and hid his wife and family or financial gain, something which Mr Blum denied.

“I didn’t take advantage of her, I never had any money from her,” he said.

Ms Oldenburg had previously told the inquest Mr Blum had deserted her in England, claiming he was attacked and robbed of both their bags at the Amsterdam airport.

This was after, Ms Oldenburg told the inquest previously, Mr Blum convinced her to drop her bag containing her birth certificate, title deed, power of attorney and other important documents in an airport safe locker.

Mr Blum told the inquest he had not been attacked and Ms Oldenburg had confused it for another attack he faced at the airport.

“It was some years before and she probably took on that story,” he said.

When questioned why he agreed to the attack in his previous police interview and why his two versions of evidence differed so greatly, Mr Blum was perplexed.

“I’m not going to perjure myself for the sake of a fling,” he said softly.

Upon later listening to the police interview, Mr Blum said he had been mixed up in 2021 and was referring to a 1992 attack.

He denied allegations from Ms Oldenburg that he had stolen her title deeds, shares and jewellery and which she said he had convinced her to bury in the backyard.

“That’s a fertile imagination,” he repeated before the court.

While the inquest was due to finish on Friday, it will now continue on April 27, 28 and 29 at Byron Bay Local Court.

The inquest was closed with a plea by Mr Casselden for any members of the public with information about Ms Barter to come forward to NSW Police.