Foster mother volunteers motel funds aid for William’s father

William Tyrrell’s biological father can’t pay for accommodation in Taree, where important evidence will be heard.

Missing boy William Tyrrell. Picture: AAP

William Tyrrell’s biological ­father could be granted a one-off payment so he can continue to ­attend the inquest into his son’s dis­appearance when the hearings move to the NSW mid-north coast town of Taree.

In miserable scenes in Sydney yesterday, it was revealed that William’s father has no ability to pay for a week’s accommodation in a motel in Taree, where much of the important evidence will be heard.

“But that is not acceptable,” said Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame.

“A solution should be found, to enable him to attend.”

From the public gallery, came the words: “I’ll pay.”

It was William’s foster mother, who has told police William was out of her sight for no more than five minutes on the day of his ­disappearance, on September 12, 2014. William’s biological parents fought to stay involved in his life when he was taken into state care when he was nine months old, and again when he went missing.

They were told not to attend the search for him. They did not receive a single briefing on the police operation to find him.

When the inquest into their son’s disappearance was announced, they were told they would not need a lawyer, and found themselves being cross-­examined without one.

NSW Legal Aid stepped in, and the father is now represented by Michelle Swift, who rose to ­inform the coroner yesterday that he could not afford to attend the hearing in Taree. He will need at least five nights’ accommodation. He has attended the inquest every day it has been sitting in Sydney, sitting with head bowed in the front row.

William’s foster mother, who has also been present every day, immediately offered to pay but Ms Grahame said FaCS, the state agency that technically manages his care status, should be prevailed upon.

The Coroner’s Court was yesterday given a full briefing on the bushland search for William, which took place last year. Many eerie items were found — a backpack with scissors; an arrow without its head; a crowbar wrapped in plastic; and pet graves, with handmade crosses — but none had anything to do with William.

Police described difficult conditions: one of them was attacked around the head by bees, while others sustained wounds from chainsaws used to cut up fallen gums, just in case the small boy was somehow underneath.

Police were mindful of statistics: in more than 70 per cent of cases, the body of a murdered child will be found no more than 100m from where they were last seen alive.

Searchers were provided with a pamphlet, showing a picture of William and a photograph of the red Spider-Man suit he was wearing when he went missing. They also had a photo of his sandals.

They were equipped with a trailer full of gardening tools and “big heavy duty rakes” that en­abled everyone to take a step forward, rake, take a look, take a step forward, rake, take a look.

Senior Constable Scott Miles said: “The enthusiasm everyone showed was amazing. It was tough, you had to be motivated, but everyone wanted to be part of it.”