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Home / World

Paedophile to testify at William Tyrrell inquest

By Candace Sutton
news.com.au·
17 Jul, 2019 10:57 AM3 mins to read

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William Tyrrell disappeared in 2014. Photo / Supplied

William Tyrrell disappeared in 2014. Photo / Supplied

A convicted paedophile and two mystery women will give evidence at the upcoming inquest of missing boy William Tyrrell, it can be revealed.

EXCLUSIVE

A convicted paedophile, two mystery women and an unnamed man considered a person of interest will give evidence at the upcoming inquest of missing boy William Tyrrell.

A draft witness list for next month's inquest, obtained exclusively by news.com.au, includes convicted child sex offender Anthony Jones, his ex-wife Debbie Gardoll and other relatives.

Jones has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for assaulting children and women, escaping from police custody, theft and drug possession.

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He denies any involvement in William's disappearance.

The list of 42 witnesses for the inquest that resumes on August 5 also includes locals from around Kendall, where William disappeared in 2014, and Laurieton, where part of the search took place.

They include assorted members of the community, such as former washing machine repairman Bill Spedding, his wife Margaret, Laurieton Public School official Valda Ballesty, hairdresser Angela Eschler and other people who took part in the search.

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A neighbour of William's foster grandmother, Paul Savage, and NSW Mid North Coast locals Patrick Teeling and Laurieton milk vendor and former journalist, Gordon Wiegold, will also be called.

Another local man, Geoff Owen, had installed the decking at the Benaroon Drive house where William was playing before he vanished.

Convicted paedophile Tony Jones. Photo / Facebook
Convicted paedophile Tony Jones. Photo / Facebook
Jones will testify at William Tyrrell's inquest. Photo / Facebook
Jones will testify at William Tyrrell's inquest. Photo / Facebook
Bill Spedding's former business in Laurieton near Kendall, where police investigated William Tyrrell's disappearance. Photo / News Corp Australia
Bill Spedding's former business in Laurieton near Kendall, where police investigated William Tyrrell's disappearance. Photo / News Corp Australia

Three police officers and Elizabeth Rowley, the wife of Laurieton police officer Senior Constable Christopher Rowley, are listed.

Husband and wife Daniela and Martin Parish, who owned Laurieton's Cafe Buzz, will be called.

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Two mystery women, listened only by the pseudonyms of "Amy" and "Tanya" appear on the list.

It has been reported that among the 19 men on the list who are not police officers is the name of a male person of interest who has not previously been identified or mentioned in public.

Margaret and Bill Spedding will both give evidence at the inquest's part two. Mr Spedding has denied any part in William's disappearance. Photo / News Corp Australia
Margaret and Bill Spedding will both give evidence at the inquest's part two. Mr Spedding has denied any part in William's disappearance. Photo / News Corp Australia
Laurieton Public School will be part of the focus of the next stage of the William Tyrrell inquest. Photo / News Corp Australia
Laurieton Public School will be part of the focus of the next stage of the William Tyrrell inquest. Photo / News Corp Australia

The inquest, which was held briefly over a week in late March, is due to begin its "second tranche".

The witness list obtained by news.com.au is described as "provisional" and "witnesses may be added with little or no notice".

Former head of the William Tyrrell taskforce NSW Police Strike Force Rosann, Gary Jubelin, is expected to be called.

Part two of the inquest on William Tyrrell's disappearance will begin on August 5 with a witness list of 42 people. Photo / Supplied
Part two of the inquest on William Tyrrell's disappearance will begin on August 5 with a witness list of 42 people. Photo / Supplied
William's father has engaged a lawyer. Photo / News Corp Australia
William's father has engaged a lawyer. Photo / News Corp Australia
Former head detective Gary Jubelin is expected to testify at the inquest about his role in Strike Force Rosann. Photo / News Corp Australia
Former head detective Gary Jubelin is expected to testify at the inquest about his role in Strike Force Rosann. Photo / News Corp Australia

William's biological father has been given a Legal Aid lawyer after he and the boy's mother went unrepresented at the March week of hearings.

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Coroner Harriet Grahame told William's biological parents and his foster carers at the March hearing the inquest may recall them for further questioning during the second tranche.

Witness Anthony Jones last year was released from prison after serving a sentence for child molesting.

Now aged in his early 60s, Jones' criminal past going back decades includes a 2015 conviction for the aggravated indecent assault of an 11-year-old girl.

He was sentenced to a maximum three years in prison, but as news.com.au exclusively revealed in January last year, he was released and is now living back in the community.

Jones was one of a number of known child sex offenders under the microscope of Strike Force Rosann in relation to William's disappearance.

Known as Tony Jones, he was part of a group police looked at while investigating a paedophile ring operating on the NSW Mid North Coast.

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Jones has previously ­denied any involvement in William's disappearance.

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