How Matthew Leveson’s former partner Michael Atkins got caught lying

AFTER years of lying, it was the fifth day of giving evidence at the inquest into the disappearance of Matthew Leveson that Michael Atkins finally came unstuck.

• RECOVERY OF BONES AFTER SEARCH FOR MATT LEVESON’S BODY
• MORE HEARTACHE FOR THE LEVESON FAMILY
• ATKINS KEEPS FIT AS HUNT FOR LOVER’S BODY WRAPS UP
• HOW THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILED MATT LEVESON

AFTER years of lying, it was the fifth day in the witness box when Michael Atkins finally came unstuck.

He was giving evidence at the inquest into the disappearance of his much younger lover Matthew Leveson, 20, who had not been seen since leaving ARC nightclub in Darlinghurst in September, 2007.

Mr Leveson’s parents Mark and Faye were sitting in Glebe Coroner’s Court staring at Atkins when he finally slipped up on Friday, November 4 last year.

Michael Atkins leaves the State Coroner's Court in Glebe last year. Picture: Toby Zerna

They have always believed he killed their son and have struggled to come to terms with the fact he was acquitted of their Matty’s murder in 2009.

Atkins had told many lies over the years including telling the inquest he believed Mr Leveson may be living overseas.

“You know Matt’s dead, don’t you?,” Counsel assisting the coroner Lester Fernandez said.

Atkins replied, “I always thought he went to Thailand.”

But after five days of questioning, Atkins admitted he had lied under oath during the inquest and he was finally trapped.

Michael Atkins and Matthew Leveson.

Atkins was compelled to give evidence at the inquest after he was granted a Section 61 certificate which gave him immunity from being prosecuted for anything he said – even if he admitted to murder.

But he was not protected from being charged with perjury or contempt of court.

After admitting he had lied on Friday, November 4, the inquest was adjourned by Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott.

What followed were intense negotiations between police and Atkin’s lawyers and on the Monday, November 7 detectives approached then Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton.

She agreed to give Atkins immunity from perjury and contempt of court in return for him telling police where he had buried Mr Leveson’s body.

Mark Leveson, the father of Matthew Leveson, uses a metal detector searching for his son’s body. Picture: Dean Lewins

It was a heartbreaking decision for the Levesons – but they decided that more than anything they wanted to keep the promise they made nine years ago – to bring Matty home.

But the agreement he entered stipulated that if Mr Leveson’s body was not found, he could be charged with perjury.

It was the middle of the night when Atkins led homicide detectives to the Royal National Park.

He took them to an area of bush just to the side of McKell Avenue at Waterfall and said he believed this was where he had buried him.

Human bones were found at the search site last night.

Forensics sift through the removed soil.

Extensive searches with excavators, sniffer dogs and police failed to find anything in November and January this year.

The latest bush search for Mr Leveson’s body began last week and was essentially being done for legal reasons so that police could be sure they had properly searched the area Atkins had taken them to several times.

Yesterday afternoon, just moments before the final search was to wrap up – a man working an excavator stopped and called police over.

NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin hugs Faye Leveson (left) after almost 10 years of search for their son’s body. Picture: Dean Lewins

Faye Leveson carries flowers to the site.

It appeared to be human skeleton was and police are confident it remains to Mr Leveson.

After a thorough forensic examination – the Levesons will hopefully have complete confirmation.

The Daily Telegraph understands Atkins will not be charged with anything and is free to continue living in Queensland.

Standing metres away from his son’s remains were Mr Leveson said, “Our goal was to bring Matt home and lay him to rest, and hopefully we can do that,” Mr Leveson said last night.

The Daily Telegraph understands Atkins will not be charged with anything and is free to continue living in Queensland.

His wife Faye added, “It’s been nine years, eight months and eight days — we made a promise and we kept it and now we can lay him to rest if it turns out to be Matt. And our boys won’t have to go through their lives looking for their brother.”

Today a forensic specialist combed through the crime scene and the Levesons were finally able to lay flowers, knowing they had finally found their son.