Bill was right beside me, William Spedding’s wife tells William Tyrrell inquest

Bill Spedding was 20 minutes away with his wife when William Tyrrell disappeared, inquest hears.

Bill Spedding, left, arrives at the inquest today. Picture: Peter Rae/AAP

He has for years been a key “person of interest” in the disappearance of William Tyrrell, but the wife of washing machine repairman Bill Spedding insists that her husband was sitting right beside her when the boy went missing.

Mrs Margaret Spedding, testifying at the inquest into William’s disappearance at the Coroner’s Court in Lidcombe this morning, was shown a receipt for two mugs of coffee, a citrus tart, and a ham and cheese croissant.

The receipt was dated 12 September 2014, the day of William’s disappearance.

It was time-stamped 9.42am.

Mrs Spedding confirmed that her husband, Bill, had ordered morning tea from counter of the Buzz Cafe Laurieton, and that she’d sat down to enjoy the meal with him.

The Buzz Cafe is a 20 minute drive from Kendall, where William was staying with his foster parents when he went missing.

Mrs Spedding said she left the Buzz Cafe with Bill shortly before 10am, and went across to the small school directly across the road from Buzz Cafe to see one of their grandkids get a special award from the principal. She remembered the kids singing and her husband’s pride in the small boy’s achievements.

William went missing sometime between 10am and 10.30am. His foster Mum says he was out of sight for just a few moments. She made a Triple O call at 10.57am, after spending some time searching for him.

Mrs Spedding was shown in a video, telling police how distressed they were, when her husband found his name linked to the crime.

“We were in shock. We couldn’t believe what had happened to us. This is … we just … we’re in shock,” she said.

“The shock actually kicked in more, when they took Bill away. When they come and just landed on our doorstep.”

She appeared close to tears.

Mr Spedding has told friends that his life has been destroyed by having his name linked to William’s disappearance. He has always denied wrongdoing.

Mr Spedding’s name became linked to the crime because William’s foster Mum called him from the house at around 9am on the day the boy went missing, to ask him about a missing part for her Mum’s washing machine.

There was never any evidence to link Mr Spedding to the crime. Police have raided his home, office, and car; they have conducted forensics, and offered a million dollar reward for the boy’s return, which did not produce a witness able to say that there were any doubts about his alibi.

The court was shown a video of the former lead detective, Gary Jubelin — who was in January removed from the case — asking Mrs Spedding: “You’re sure Bill was with you that day?”

“He was. We come here together. We did,” she insisted.

Mr Jubelin asked her: “Is there anything that triggers your memory that makes you confirm that Bill was with you that day?

“Confirm? I know he was,” she said, near tears. “He was here with me. You’re saying he was not. He was.”

She said her husband was wearing his normal work shirt, with his name on it, and his regular blue shorts that day.

Mr Spedding is due to testify this afternoon.

Receipts from The Buzz Cafe on the day of William Tyrrell’s disappearance. Picture: Supplied