By Ava Benny-Morrison
Faye Leveson has described the pain and anguish inflicted on her family in a moving victim's impact statement to the inquest into the death of her son, Matthew.
Mark and Faye Leveson hold photos of the skeletal remains of their son Matthew Leveson after giving their impact statement at the Coroner's Court on Friday.Credit: Kate Geraghty
"There are times I don't want to go on any more," Mrs Leveson told the NSW Coroner's Court.
"I just want to close my eyes and never wake up."
Mark and Faye Leveson show a photo of their son Matthew Leveson with his partner Michael Atkins outside the Coroner's Court on Friday.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Supported by her husband, Mark, she spoke of lying awake at night haunted by images of her son's bones in the dirt.
"We will never be able to get those images out of our head," she said.
Matthew Leveson, then 20, was last seen leaving the ARQ nightclub near Taylor Square with his boyfriend Michael Peter Atkins in the early hours of September 23, 2007.
Mr Atkins, 54, had long denied any involvement in Matthew's disappearance. At one point he suggested that Matthew might be in Thailand.
Michael Atkins and Matthew Leveson before Matthew's disappearance in 2007.
He has been under a subpoena in the Coroner's Court since last year when he was compelled to answer questions about Matthew's fate.
In a dramatic turn of events after he was granted an immunity deal, Mr Atkins led police last year to the area where he buried Matthew's body.
Michael Atkins was acquitted in 2009 of murdering Matthew Leveson.Credit: Brook Mitchell
Mr Atkins signed an induced statement last November, claiming Matthew died of a drug overdose, a claim that cannot be forensically confirmed.
The inquest was adjourned last November and police spent the next six months carrying out searches in the Royal National Park.
The map drawn by Michael Atkins of where he buried his boyfriend Matthew Leveson in the Royal National Park. This sketch was tendered as evidence on Thursday.
Matthew's remains were finally discovered on May 31 this year.
The inquest resumed this week, and the question as to whether Mr Atkins would be called back to court to testify about his startling admission was answered on Friday.
Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott ruled that it was not "in the interests of justice to continue to compel Mr Atkins to give evidence in the inquest".
She highlighted his lack of credibility as a witness and the lies he told police in the past about Mr Leveson's disappearance.
Ms Truscott's decision came after both counsel assisting the coroner and Mr Atkins' legal team submitted he should not be required to give further evidence.
Ms Truscott said Mr Atkins' statement about how Matthew died was untested and uncorroborated.
No further evidence about exactly how he died had been uncovered since his bones were exhumed.
Mr Atkins had also given his statement about Matthew's death on the understanding he wouldn't have to give evidence about it, Ms Truscott said.
She found Mr Atkins' assistance to police last year was not altruistic but was entirely self-serving.
Mr Atkins, who was required to be in the Sydney area this week in case he was called to give evidence again, will now be free.
He was compelled to give evidence at the inquest last year on the basis his evidence couldn't be used against him in criminal proceedings.
The NSW Attorney-General granted him another immunity deal, protecting him from perjury charges if he showed police where Mr Leveson's body was.
The inquest was adjourned to September 23.