Shock abuse claims in William Tyrrell case

Police will allege in court the foster mother of missing William Tyrrell kicked a child and suggested if the child was to defecate on the floor, she would rub the child’s face in it.

Last year, police conducted a new search for ­William in three areas surrounding Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast. Picture: Supplied

Police will allege the foster mother of missing boy William Tyrrell 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 the foster father of William “grabbed” the girl’s neck and that the foster mother allegedly hit her with a wooden spoon.

The allegations can be revealed after lawyers acting for media ­organisations were successful in appealing a suppression order that until now prevented the reporting of any of the allegations police will make in the proceedings.

The missing boy’s foster ­mother and foster father were charged in November 2021 in relation to the alleged assault of the girl and have pleaded not guilty. The defendants cannot be named for legal reasons.

William’s foster mother, ­referred to by the pseudonym SD, was later hit with two counts of stalking and intimidation and a further assault charge. William’s foster father, ­referred to as JS, was charged with one count of stalking and intimidation.

A hearing listed in Parramatta Local Court on June 30 will determine whether SD’s charges will be dealt with on mental health grounds.

William Tyrrell

According to a psychologist’s report tendered as part of the ­appeal to set aside the suppression order, police will allege SD and JS had been “attempting to intervene in the (alleged) victim’s problematic behaviour”.

The psychologist’s report ­refers to police facts from November 2021, which allege the child had been placed in a time-out ­period for 44 minutes and then told JS and SD she “hated them”.

“(JS) is reported to have ‘grabbed’ the victim about the neck and ‘physically restrained her to sit back down’,” the report states.

Police divers at William Tyrrell’s late foster grandmother’s home in Kendall in November last year. Picture: Liam Mendes

The report continues, saying police will allege the child screamed out in pain. “(Police will allege SD) then forced the child to sit on the floor for an extended ­period of time before kicking the (alleged) victim and causing her pain and bruising. The (alleged) victim is reported to have tried to get up a number of times but (SD) forced her to sit down.”

The report states police will ­allege the child was “pleading” with SD to stop while the two ­defendants allegedly subjected her to a 15-minute “tirade of verbal abuse”. The report then states that according to additional facts provided by police, the alleged victim spoke to her schoolteacher and “expressed being afraid to return home”.

“Further, the facts note that SD suggests to the child that if the (child) was to defecate on the floor, she would rub the child’s face in it,” the report states. The report continues, saying that the facts stated police will ­allege SD hit the child with a wooden spoon.

This latest revelation can be ­revealed as both parents are also facing charges related to giving false or misleading evidence to the NSW Crime Commission. They have pleaded not guilty and their matters are listed for hearing in October and November. The commission has extraordinary powers forcing people to attend secret hearings and answer questions. The assault proceedings against JS have been listed for hearing on January 16 next year. If SD’s application to have the charges dealt with under the Mental Health Act is unsuccessful she will join the January hearing.

Last year, police conducted a new search for ­William in three areas surrounding Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast. SD has been named as a person of interest in William’s disappearance but has denied wrongdoing.