Missing boy William Tyrrell’s foster parents will plead not guilty to putting a false bid at auction

The foster parents of missing boy William Tyrrell will plead not guilty to fraud charges in court, after being accused of orchestrating a ‘dummy bid’ at auction.

A lawyer for the Tyrrell foster couple, Lauren MacDougall. Picture: David Swift

The foster parents of missing boy William Tyrrell are set to plead not guilty to fraud charges in court.

The pair, a 55 year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not attend court for their first appearance as their lawyer entered pleas of not guilty to charges of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Police allege the pair organised for a third party to put out fake bids on a property for them at an auction in December 2020, presumably to gain more money for the home.

The charges are not related to the disappearance of three-year-old Tyrrell who disappeared on September 12, 2014 while visiting his now-deceased foster grandmother’s home in Kendall.

He was last seen playing in a Spider-Man suit in the garden of the home on the NSW mid-north coast.

The man’s lawyer, Lauren MacDougall, who was also acting for the woman, confirmed they would enter pleas of not guilty and set a hearing date on the next occasion.

The matter was adjourned and will return to Hornsby Local Court on November 4.