William Tyrrell’s foster mum hires top criminal barrister John Korn

William Tyrrell’s foster mother has hired one of Australia’s most respected criminal barristers to defend her against allegations she assaulted a child.

William Tyrrell’s foster mother has hired one of Australia’s most respected criminal barristers to defend her against allegations she assaulted a child.

The 56-year-old woman, who cannot legally be named, has retained barrister John Korn to defend her on a charge of common assault of a child who is not William.

The woman has also ­retained solicitor Sharon Ramsden from Marsdens. Her 54-year-old husband is facing the same charge and has hired solicitor Justeen Dormer.

William Tyrrell’s foster mum has hired …

… top criminal barrister John Korn.

The couple are due to front Hornsby Local Court on Tuesday, where an apprehended ­violence order taken out by police will also be heard.

It is understood Mr Korn will not appear on Tuesday, given the case is at an early stage. When contacted by the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Korn said he was extremely new to the matter and not in a position to comment at this stage.

Mr Korn has been practising as a barrister for 41 years, and has acted on some of the state’s most significant criminal cases.

He is set to represent Bruce Lehrmann, the ex-political staffer accused of raping Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House in 2019.

Last year he successfully defended an Asian actor, who came to be known as Chinese Hugh Jackman, who was found not guilty of raping a woman.

Mr Korn also represented deceased bikie boss Mick Hawi when the former Coman­chero boss was charged with killing Hells Angels rival Anthony Zervas at Sydney Airport in 2009.

“He’s about as good as you can get when it comes to arguing matters where there is a dispute on the facts,” one legal source said.

On Wednesday, NSW Police said William’s foster parents were each charged with one count of common assault of a child.

The charges do not relate to William but were laid by the officers investigating the boy’s disappearance.

The foster parents have not commented on the developments and were seen leaving their Sydney home around 2pm yesterday, with the foster father returning 40 minutes later.

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