William Tyrrell’s foster parents plead not guilty to alleged assault of a child

Missing toddler’s William Tyrrell’s foster parents have appeared in a Sydney court via videolink, as a magistrate slams ‘relentless’ media attention.

William Tyrrell went missing when he was aged three. Picture: Courtesy of NSW Police

The foster parents of William Tyrrell have entered pleas of not guilty in relation to the alleged assault of a child, a court heard on Friday.

The couple, who cannot be named, appeared via videolink at Hornsby Local Court as the magistrate upheld blanket non-publication orders over the allegations and other circumstances of the case. She also criticised the “relentless media attention” devoted to the boy‘s disappearance.

Aged three at the time of his disappearance, William went missing on the morning of September 12, 2014, prompting an extensive, years-long search and, more recently, recovery efforts to find his remains. These efforts have been unsuccessful, and excavations of sites around his foster grandmother’s home ceased earlier this week.

Police clear scrub to make way for the digger on Batar Creek Road during a search. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer.

Police Prosecutor Amin Assaad told the court the complainant in the matter is scheduled to be reinterviewed by the police before the end of the year.

The completed police brief of evidence is scheduled to be served in February, the court heard.

Barrister Dauid Sibtain, representing the media, argued that it was not necessary to make a suppression order over the evidence in the case and that criminal proceedings in open court should be able to be reported on.

The magistrate said journalists are rarely a presence in most assault matters involving children, mentioned in court, and that recent coverage of search efforts to find William‘s remains included publication of details “even when there has been nothing to report”.