William Tyrrell foster mum hit child with wooden spoon, court told

Police will allege William Tyrrell’s foster mother subjected a child to an ‘ongoing pattern of violence’.

William Tyrrell has been missing since September 12, 2014. Picture: Police Media

The foster mother of missing boy William Tyrrell has lost her ­application to have assault and stalking/intimidation charges dealt with on mental health grounds, as a court heard police would allege the woman subjected a girl to an “ongoing pattern of violence”.

Police will also allege that the woman kicked the girl and hit her with a wooden spoon.

Magistrate Peter Feather on Thursday determined the woman, who cannot be identified, will have two assault charges and two charges of stalking and intimidation against a girl heard in January, alongside her husband.

The missing boy’s foster mother and foster father, known by the pseudonyms SD and JS respectively, were charged in November 2021 in relation to the alleged assault of the girl and have pleaded not guilty.

Both defendants cannot be named for legal reasons.

William’s foster mother was later hit with two counts of stalking and intimidation and a further assault charge. JS was charged with one further count of stalking and intimidation.

They have pleaded not guilty to the subsequent charges.

The couple appeared in court for the first time, sometimes holding hands.

Mr Feather said the police had a “strong prosecution case” and read out multiple aggravating features of the prosecution‘s allegations, including the alleged offences occurred in the presence of another child and at home.

The court on Thursday morning heard police would ­allege the woman subjected a girl to an “ongoing pattern of ­violence”.

SD’s lawyer, Sharon Ramsden, told the court the alleged ­violence occurred after another child was placed in the care of the parents, which the court heard caused the victim to misbehave.

The prosecution disagreed.

“Since her arrival, the [alleged] victim has been vocal in her disapproval in having the younger child [at the home] due to feeling left out … It seems that the alleged victim began to act up,” Mr Feather said.

The court heard SD allegedly hit the girl with a wooden spoon and on another occasion kicked her to the left thigh.

“The intimidation relates to an ongoing [alleged] pattern of violence,” the police prosecutor said.

Ms Ramsden said her client had been “struggling with ill mental health for years” and suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In June, The Australian published parts of a psychologist’s report previously tendered to a court, revealing police would ­allege SD kicked a girl, “causing her pain and bruising”, and suggested if the child were to defecate on the floor, she would rub her face in it.

It will also be alleged JS “grabbed” the girl’s neck and that the foster mother allegedly hit her with a wooden spoon.