WEBVTT - The Inquest: Part 18 0:00:11.800 --> 0:00:16.200 This is the case of Marion Barter, a mother, teacher, 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:21.320 friend missing for twenty six years. 0:00:22.239 --> 0:00:25.040 You know something that she was going to vanish. 0:00:24.880 --> 0:00:25.480 That's for sure. 0:00:26.040 --> 0:00:30.200 The bizarre circumstances surrounding her disappearance, I'm not. 0:00:30.080 --> 0:00:31.400 Sure if it was intentional. 0:00:31.680 --> 0:00:34.120 There's something more foul afoot. 0:00:34.360 --> 0:00:37.080 If you could imagine a teacher coming straight from say 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:39.400 little house on the prairie to the eighties, that was 0:00:39.479 --> 0:00:40.080 Marian Barter. 0:00:40.560 --> 0:00:45.800 What I say, whether you find Marian Barter dead or alive, 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:50.559 I honestly believe somebody has that key piece of information. 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:54.760 And the relentless quest of a daughter to find her mum. 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:59.440 Something had happened, Something has happened to make her leave. 0:01:01.000 --> 0:01:03.920 I am one hundred percent sure, one hundred percent sure 0:01:03.920 --> 0:01:17.840 that somebody knows something. The Lady Vanishes, Episode forty eight. 0:01:19.000 --> 0:01:20.560 I'm Alison Sandy. 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:22.080 And I'm Brian Seymour. 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:29.400 Six months have passed since the sudden decision of Coroner 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:33.560 Teresa O'Sullivan to delay handing down the findings of the 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:41.679 inquest into Marion Barter's disappearance. If you recall, the announcement 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:45.480 came at the eleventh hour. Sally, her husband Chris, and 0:01:45.560 --> 0:01:49.480 their three children had already flown to Sydney in anticipation. 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:53.880 It was a shock at first and they had to regroup. 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:59.040 Some weeks later we were officially told the reason for 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:02.920 the delay. There was new evidence which had just featured 0:02:02.960 --> 0:02:06.960 in our latest podcast episodes detailing more alleged victims of 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:10.440 Rick Bloom. The new hearing was sent down for three 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:14.040 days in late May early June in Lismore in northern 0:02:14.080 --> 0:02:16.960 New South Wales, though the coroner would not release the 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:19.560 names of those who would be called to give evidence. 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:24.880 I set off for the two and a half hour 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:28.840 drive from Brisbane to Lismo on May thirty, twenty twenty three, 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:35.079 but not before I picked up an important someone from 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:39.440 the airport. One of our sleeves, Christina has again come 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.360 all the way from the United Kingdom. Are you always 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:44.320 being there for us when we went to the UK 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:48.959 and you sort of feeding out UK correspondent our proxy there? 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:50.919 It just it really means what you received. 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:52.320 So I was so cute. 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:56.600 It's come a long way since four years ago. So 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:00.360 many developments been. 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:03.760 Avertas to support funding throughout this journey. 0:03:04.600 --> 0:03:08.720 Her journey has been a very long journey. Feel privileged 0:03:08.760 --> 0:03:13.440 to come in on that journey at a later. 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:18.880 Stage, but quite a crucial studies. The Beau support her 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:21.320 and offer some help. 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:25.360 I wish it could be more. I wish we could 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:27.400 fly as that leading the haystack. 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:29.200 Maybe one day we will. 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:32.880 We arrive in Lismore to find it still bears considerable 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:36.960 scars from floods last year. Still see devastation from recent 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:40.480 floods here. I from what I'm told, they haven't really 0:03:41.680 --> 0:03:44.720 bounced that, as well as other places that were rubbaged 0:03:44.720 --> 0:03:48.640 by floods. A lot of shops and businesses have never reopened. 0:03:49.080 --> 0:03:54.280 Even the Grand Old Library looks abandoned. Before checking into 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:57.640 our accommodation, we check in with our camera crew, who 0:03:57.640 --> 0:03:59.840 are busy collecting pictures around. 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:01.560 We're going to go from. 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:04.240 Here to look out, Okay, look out for probably back 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:05.080 down the streets. 0:04:05.200 --> 0:04:08.320 Yeah, do some stuff today and then we'll finish off 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:10.360 with Drove stuftly Cans. 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:11.480 Sunset that's whatever. 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.440 May the thirty first is a crisp, blue sky day. 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:20.400 It's also the last day of autumn, so it's very 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:24.039 fresh eight degrees celsius when I wake up, but gaining 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:28.680 in temperature as the morning wears on. It's an earlier 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:31.839 than usual start for court eight point thirty instead of 0:04:31.880 --> 0:04:35.360 ten am. The reason is that a witness on the 0:04:35.400 --> 0:04:37.920 other side of the world has stayed up very late 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:42.760 at night just so she can tell her story. The courthouse, 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:46.360 a boxy brick building, does not have Wi Fi, which 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:49.240 will make it difficult to live stream the proceedings if 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:52.240 I need to step out of the courtroom. I've spotted 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.360 at least four other journalists here, and the public gallery 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:58.839 fills up quickly. I've spoken to a few of those 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:02.760 who've turned up. One has come from Sydney, another from Newcastle, 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:06.320 and there's a man who I've never seen before. He 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:10.839 stands out mostly because his phone unexpectedly goes off in court, 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:13.720 and I make a mental note to find out. 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:14.640 Who he is. 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:19.040 Most people are wearing black, gray or navy, so I 0:05:19.080 --> 0:05:22.040 feel a bit conspicuous in my red suit. There's a 0:05:22.080 --> 0:05:25.360 French language interpreter seated in the witness box, but there's 0:05:25.440 --> 0:05:30.800 no sign of Rick Blum or his wife Diane. Although 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:36.280 mister Blum is represented this time, he has a barrister, 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:38.680 Matthew White sc. 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:41.360 Was he trying to avoid media's scrutiny by not turning. 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:44.760 Up of course not, of course not. 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:49.599 The standard cost for a senior council is one thousand 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:53.799 dollars per hour and for specific court proceedings eight thousand 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:57.240 dollars per day. It's not clear how mister Blum is 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:01.320 funding that kind of expensive legal aid on disability pension. 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:05.599 We don't know how mister Blum found a senior council 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:08.520 to represent him, but we should point out under the 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:12.359 cab Rank rule, a barrister must accept a brief unless 0:06:12.360 --> 0:06:15.440 they have a specific reason they cannot do the work 0:06:15.839 --> 0:06:21.120 or are unavailable. As we wait for the first witness, 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:23.960 I should remind you that we can't use the audio 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:28.000 from the actual inquest. Again, we have engaged voice actors 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:30.400 to speak the words heard by the coroner. 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:36.120 I'm tuning into the live stream from Sydney Council assisting 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:39.000 the coroner. Adam casselten opens the proceedings. 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.520 This is the fifth tranch of hearings of the Inquest 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:46.320 into the Disappearance of Marion Barter, also known as Florabella 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:51.719 Natalia Marion Ramachel. This tranch is taking place notwithstanding that 0:06:51.800 --> 0:06:54.440 in the latter part of last year, your Honor received 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:57.960 all relevant evidence and submissions from interested parties in writing 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:01.400 and orally in court. The inquest has taken such a 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:04.360 course because, as has been made clear in these proceedings, 0:07:04.640 --> 0:07:07.960 the investigation into the disappearance and suspected death of Marion 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:11.840 Barter is ongoing. Those assisting Your Honor have become aware 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:15.160 of two other women who allegedly had interactions with mister 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:18.320 Blum in Europe in the years following the disappearance of 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:19.080 Marion Barter. 0:07:22.600 --> 0:07:26.840 Mister Cassadin names Julaane Duboisdan Nois and another woman also 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:30.320 in Europe, whom we have previously referred to as Charlotte 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:33.360 in this podcast as she doesn't want her true name revealed. 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:38.120 We learned that Charlotte won't be giving evidence at these proceedings, 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:41.440 but a statement she gave to Belgian police in twenty 0:07:41.600 --> 0:07:47.360 twelve has been tended to the court. However, Gulaane Dubois 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:50.800 de Nois will be recounting her interactions with Rick Bloom 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:54.880 aka Frederick de Hettiary back in two thousand and six. 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.960 She will allege that she became engaged to mister day 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.400 Heady and he'd encouraged her to sell her house and 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:09.040 move to Australia to start a new life with him. 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.080 The court also hears that ninety two year old Andre 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:16.640 Flume also encountered Frederick de Headevy in twenty ten and 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:18.720 will also be getting up in the early hours of 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:22.240 the morning in Portugal, where she now lives, to ensure 0:08:22.320 --> 0:08:27.520 her evidence is heard via livelink. Madame Flume claims mister 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:33.200 Daheedevry stole her late husband's valuable coin collection. After that, 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:37.080 Rick Bloom will again be called to the stand to 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:40.560 respond to the claims made by the two women, But 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:44.839 before the evidence begins, mister Kasdon, as he has done previously, 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:48.600 makes a call for anyone with information about Marion Barter 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:50.160 to come forward. 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:54.120 The disappearance of Marion Barter continues to be an ongoing 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.559 investigation by New South Wales Police. If any member of 0:08:57.600 --> 0:09:00.440 the public has any information rioting to the disapp appearance 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:04.720 of Marion Barter or information relating to Florabella ramical I 0:09:04.800 --> 0:09:07.320 strongly encourage you to come forward and to share that 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:10.360 information with New South Wales Police or crime stoppers. 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:15.600 A familiar face pops up on the screen. It is 0:09:15.760 --> 0:09:22.480 ninety two year old Julaine Dubois dan Lois. Julaane is 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:26.240 in Brussels, and the interpreter is in Lismore. Both give 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:30.520 their affirmation. It is twelve thirty a m. In Brussels. 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:33.320 Given the late hour, it's no wonder she appears weary. 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:37.760 At times, she trembles and her eyes water. This is 0:09:37.800 --> 0:09:42.760 hard for her. Coroner Rienza O'Sullivan thanks the witness for 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:47.320 staying awake so late to give evidence. In reply, Julane says, 0:09:47.360 --> 0:09:49.439 this I know. 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:53.920 But it is so important for me to bear witness. 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.560 Through the interpreter. Miss Dubois dan Lois tells the court 0:09:58.679 --> 0:10:00.880 she met Frederic to Head of Rey in two thousand 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.880 and six, although later learned that he went by several 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:07.600 other names as well. She says he responded to an 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:09.520 ad she had placed in a newspaper. 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:13.960 I had asked for a handwritten letter, which he sent 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:18.760 and it was a very nice letter, with no spelling errors, 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:20.559 and very interesting. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.319 Their first meeting was in a cafe in Brussels in 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:28.400 June two thousand and six, and the last time she 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:32.760 saw him was three months later in September. Their friendship 0:10:32.800 --> 0:10:36.680 had quickly blossomed into romance. Because she knew he was 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:41.000 staying in student accommodation, Julane invited Frederic to heavy to 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:45.880 stay at her home. He accepted immediately and they shared a. 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:50.880 Bed, but he had said to me beforehand that it 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:53.319 was abnormally frigid. 0:10:55.120 --> 0:10:55.600 She says. 0:10:55.720 --> 0:10:58.000 He told her he lived in Australia where he was 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.040 a bank manager, and was in Belgium to look for 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:02.800 old coins as. 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:03.440 He was a collector. 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:07.400 The court is told he invited miss duoisdan Nois to 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:11.200 get married at a resort in Bali, and suggested they 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:16.000 would later live in Australia. She agreed so long as 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:18.839 she could visit her children and they could come to 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:19.400 visit her. 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:23.720 I was fond of him and I wanted to live 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:26.280 with him in Australia. 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:30.680 But Frederic Deheadevry did not want Julaine Dubois dan Nois 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:33.520 to tell her children of their plans to marry. 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:39.440 Simply, he was saying, because it's more fun, It would 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:42.520 be more practical to tell them once we were married. 0:11:43.480 --> 0:11:47.199 But that is exactly what I would not accept. 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:51.240 She insisted on telling her children and they were very 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.440 surprised and astonished. However, she said they didn't try to 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.360 stop her because they loved her and wanted her to 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:02.199 have freedom. After their father's death, mister Bois d'in lois 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:05.520 tells the court. When she started making preparations to move 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:10.319 to Australia, Frederick de Heeadevry chose items of value around 0:12:10.320 --> 0:12:14.360 her house and put them into two trunks. He said 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:16.960 he would have them shipped to Australia so she'd have 0:12:17.040 --> 0:12:20.320 them when she arrived, but she has not seen those 0:12:20.360 --> 0:12:25.439 items again. He also asked her to undergo particular medical examinations, 0:12:25.760 --> 0:12:30.120 an ultrasound of the liver and a sleep examination before 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:34.000 she traveled to Australia, and he requested she put her 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:35.440 house up for sale. 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:40.080 So he asked me to sell my house, and then 0:12:40.600 --> 0:12:43.440 he asked me to give him the money so that 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:47.760 he could open bank accounts in his bank for my children. 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.720 And I had four children, and that would be four 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:56.040 separate bank accounts, so that when they visited me, they 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:59.760 could find their very own money in their own bank account. 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:03.600 He took advantage of the love I had for my 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:08.560 children to steal my money. 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:12.959 The court is she took money from her shares, investments 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:16.480 and savings and gave it to Frederick, thehead of Rey, 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:20.840 about seventy two thousand euros in cash to set up 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:24.439 the bank accounts and every time she went to make 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:28.160 a withdrawal from an account, he would always accompany her. 0:13:29.040 --> 0:13:32.719 But she decided not to hand over the proceeds from 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:34.080 the sale of her house. 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:39.480 No, because my son, who lives in France, told me 0:13:39.880 --> 0:13:43.160 that there was a house for sale near him and 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:47.640 I was thinking of giving him money to buy the house, 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:53.240 and Frederick understood at that point that he was not 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:57.720 going to get the money. That's when he left. So 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:02.840 my son and his partner had organized a meal and 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:08.400 we had a date, but he never came. I got 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:13.920 worried because he had on him. So he said a 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:18.560 large sum of money for purchasing coins, and I was 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:20.400 frightened for him. 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:23.400 She contacted the police and they told her not to 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.520 worry because he'd been seen in Amsterdam and was in 0:14:26.560 --> 0:14:29.880 good health. She later spotted him one day on the 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:31.080 streets of Brussels. 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:37.000 We were walking on each side of the street, and 0:14:37.080 --> 0:14:40.760 I think he saw me first and he dove into 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:45.920 a chocolate store, probably to avoid me making a scene. 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:49.600 The court heard that Frederick de Hedevry never gave mister 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:53.400 Bois d'An lois the seventy two thousand euros back, although 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:56.360 he did give her a warning. A few days after 0:14:56.400 --> 0:14:56.880 he left. 0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:01.720 One day he called me from Brussels in in Belgium, 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:04.440 and I said to him, give me back what you 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:08.640 took from me, and he said, I took nothing from you, 0:15:09.880 --> 0:15:13.640 but if I hear from you again, I think he 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:17.040 met he was worried that I might lodge a complaint, 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:20.800 you will have to deal with me. I think he 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:26.040 was hinting at some form of revenge. 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:27.480 And the only reason he gave for ending the relationship. 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:32.120 In some ways, it's quite laughable, he said, because you're 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:37.920 noisy when you drink. Eventually I understood that he never 0:15:38.000 --> 0:15:44.320 loved me and all he wanted was my money. 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.520 When she realized she'd been duped, she made a complaint 0:15:48.560 --> 0:15:52.040 to Belgian police, and that's when she realized Frederick dhead 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.040 of Rey may have had other names. 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:58.160 When I went to launch a complaint, the police asked 0:15:58.240 --> 0:16:02.760 me does he have any other names? And of course 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:07.000 I knew nothing of that, and they said, we can't 0:16:07.040 --> 0:16:08.520 find much under his name. 0:16:11.320 --> 0:16:15.360 Sally Leyden's lawyer, Bradley Smith, asked Miss du Bois dan 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:19.000 Nois whether Frederic d'hevari wanted her to give back the 0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:23.080 letter he had sent her. She agrees, saying he told 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:25.680 her he would frame it so they could put it 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:29.560 above their bed in Australia, but she never saw the 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:35.320 letter again. She is also quizzed about a statement Belgian 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:39.680 police asked her to make in twenty thirteen. Mister Bois 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:44.080 Danois said it was because Frederic d'heevari had targeted another 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:46.280 woman in Tournay in Belgium. 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:50.360 They gave me no name, but they said this poor 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:55.880 lady had been abandoned without any money in Bali and 0:16:55.960 --> 0:17:00.880 she was completely left without anything and very sad. 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:06.440 She also told the court that Frederick d Head of 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:09.520 Veryan had told her he was involved in the Vietnam 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.600 War as a volunteer and that he had an interest 0:17:12.680 --> 0:17:15.280 in poison and would speak about it often. 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:20.959 In the end, what I was really worried about was 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:25.600 his interest in poison, because on two occasions I was 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:26.879 afraid of him. 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:31.320 After identifying the man she knew as Frederick d. Headroverin photographs, 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:34.760 Miss de Wire d'An lois had a heartfelt question of 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:36.080 her own for the coroner. 0:17:36.880 --> 0:17:40.360 I would like to know whether you have any hope 0:17:40.720 --> 0:17:45.000 of finding the lady who disappeared. I'm very keen to 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:47.119 know that, especially for her daughter. 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:50.920 The coroner replies, on behalf of Sally Leyden, thank you. 0:17:51.119 --> 0:17:54.880 I am sure she appreciates your assistance. I hope that 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:58.080 that can help the daughter who lost her mother who disappeared, 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.359 and hope that she can she may be found again. 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:15.560 The court is adjourned until around eleven thirty am. That's 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:19.800 when Matthew ysc the barrister representing Rick Blum, makes an 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:23.720 application to the coroner on behalf of his client. This 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:26.919 matter is not life streamed, but it is heard in 0:18:26.960 --> 0:18:31.160 an open court, which is why we can report it. 0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:34.120 Mister White requests that Rick Blum appear to give evidence 0:18:34.160 --> 0:18:38.240 remotely via audio video link rather than in person, as 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:42.199 he has done previously. He argues that mister Blum is 0:18:42.200 --> 0:18:47.119 in poor health, has experienced a decline immobility and cognitive ability, 0:18:47.520 --> 0:18:51.720 and fears the threat of media harassment. He presents a 0:18:51.760 --> 0:18:55.600 medical report from mister Blum's doctor, dated May twenty third, 0:18:55.880 --> 0:19:00.240 saying mister Blum suffered from anxiety attacks, debilitating headaches, and 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:05.240 back pain, and was on strong painkillers. He had experienced 0:19:05.280 --> 0:19:09.480 some quote visible cognitive decline over the past twelve months 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:13.280 and now has travel conversing and would do better without 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:17.840 the distracting noise he'd experience in a courtroom. Mister White 0:19:18.000 --> 0:19:20.879 argues that his client also found dealing with the media 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:26.000 quote very challenging, and he had already given evidence concerning 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:29.840 the disappearance of Marion Barter. Mister Blum now lives at 0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:33.159 an age care respite center in Bangalow, about half an 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:36.480 hour's drive from Lismore. It is suggested that he could 0:19:36.520 --> 0:19:39.360 appear via video link from there or from his ball 0:19:39.440 --> 0:19:41.919 and a home where he could be assisted by his wife, 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:48.440 and he'd also need frequent breaks. But counsel assisting Adam 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:52.760 Casselton opposes the application, saying mister Blum's medical concerns could 0:19:52.760 --> 0:19:55.960 be addressed and he needed to respond in person to 0:19:56.000 --> 0:19:59.800 the serious allegations involving women who had interacted with him 0:19:59.800 --> 0:20:04.320 in in the past. Coroner Theresa O'Sullivan agrees, saying the 0:20:04.359 --> 0:20:08.040 court had the facilities to accommodate him and his concerns, 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:11.879 and she reiterates that he was an important witness whose 0:20:11.880 --> 0:20:17.720 physical presence was required. Also, the inquest was transported to 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:20.840 Lismore and it appears given he was the only one 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:25.440 to physically give evidence there that it was because of him. 0:20:26.000 --> 0:20:28.639 Mister Blum is called to give evidence at ten am 0:20:28.840 --> 0:20:34.920 the following day, June the first. Oh and that man 0:20:34.960 --> 0:20:37.600 in court whose phone went off, the one I mentioned earlier. 0:20:37.840 --> 0:20:40.600 I found out who he is. His name is John. 0:20:41.000 --> 0:20:44.199 He's Marian's former brother in law, the ex husband of 0:20:44.280 --> 0:20:47.480 Marion's sister Deirdre. He doesn't say much to me, but 0:20:47.600 --> 0:20:50.439 he does divulge at Marian seemed to have a self 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:53.560 destructive streak when he knew her, and he remembers how 0:20:53.680 --> 0:21:06.159 Deirdre would care for her through her many broken hearts. 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:10.119 After the application for mister Bloom's barrister, the court is 0:21:10.160 --> 0:21:13.200 adjourned for a number of hours before resuming at three 0:21:13.240 --> 0:21:18.240 pm once again. The reason for this is to allow 0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:21.679 for the time difference between Australia and Europe, because the 0:21:21.760 --> 0:21:26.959 next witness is ninety two year old Andre Flume. She 0:21:27.040 --> 0:21:30.200 appears via videolink from Portugal, where it is now six 0:21:30.240 --> 0:21:34.720 o'clock in the morning. She has a supporter with her 0:21:35.040 --> 0:21:37.240 and only the top half of her face is visible 0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:40.560 on the screen. Once again, an interpreter is sitting in 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:44.440 the witness stand in the Court at Lismore. While it's 0:21:44.480 --> 0:21:47.320 early in the morning for Madame Flume and she seems 0:21:47.359 --> 0:21:49.919 a little tired, it is clear that she has a 0:21:50.040 --> 0:21:53.439 sharp memory. The court heard that she had come to 0:21:53.480 --> 0:21:56.600 know a man from Australia named Frederic de Hedevy in 0:21:56.680 --> 0:21:59.960 May twenty ten. She had met him through her daughter 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:03.400 and son in law, Pierre, who back then worked out 0:22:03.440 --> 0:22:07.000 of Brussels Library, which is where he first met Frederick 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:11.280 de Headevy. When Madame Flume heard that Dhadevvery was looking 0:22:11.320 --> 0:22:14.240 for a place to stay, she agreed he could stay 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:17.240 in a bedroom at her home, which he did from 0:22:17.320 --> 0:22:25.480 May tenth to June the fourth, twenty ten. While it's 0:22:25.560 --> 0:22:29.040 the first time Andre Flume has given evidence in these proceedings, 0:22:29.400 --> 0:22:33.560 longtime listeners will likely find the name familiar. After her 0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:37.280 dealings with mister de Headevy, Madame Flume wrote a letter 0:22:37.359 --> 0:22:40.800 to the Queensland Governor. That letter is now on file 0:22:41.000 --> 0:22:44.200 at the State Archives and has been referred to throughout 0:22:44.200 --> 0:22:48.840 the inquest. It stated July twenty six, twenty ten, not 0:22:48.960 --> 0:22:53.080 long after Madame Flume's interactions with mister de Headevy. In it, 0:22:53.400 --> 0:22:56.800 she claims that he stole her late husband's coin collection 0:22:57.280 --> 0:23:01.400 worth twenty thousand euros, and that he's a liar, not 0:23:01.440 --> 0:23:05.639 to be trusted and is wanted by Belgian police. And 0:23:05.720 --> 0:23:08.160 if you cast your mind back to mister Bloom's appearance 0:23:08.200 --> 0:23:11.679 at the inquest in February twenty twenty two, or just 0:23:11.840 --> 0:23:15.240 re listen to episode thirty three of this podcast, you'll 0:23:15.280 --> 0:23:18.600 discover what mister Bloom had to say about Andre Flume 0:23:18.920 --> 0:23:26.960 and her allegations when quizzed by Adam Casselten. First, mister 0:23:27.000 --> 0:23:30.600 Bloom explained that he'd been invited by Madame Flume's daughter 0:23:30.840 --> 0:23:33.600 and son in law to look at some old coins 0:23:33.880 --> 0:23:36.840 that had belonged to her husband, who had recently passed away. 0:23:37.760 --> 0:23:42.360 Then he got personal. In February twenty twenty two, Rick 0:23:42.400 --> 0:23:45.760 Bloom told the court that Andrea Flume could not put 0:23:45.800 --> 0:23:50.120 two words together, she had Alzheimer's and dementia and sat 0:23:50.160 --> 0:23:54.200 in a wheelchair in her room all day. Mister Carsleton 0:23:54.280 --> 0:23:57.800 put those assertions to Madame Flume directly. 0:23:57.880 --> 0:24:00.840 While mister d Hadaveri was staying with you in twenty ten. 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:02.679 Were you confined to a wheelchair? 0:24:03.240 --> 0:24:03.720 No? 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:06.639 Not that all well, Frederic Ahadaveri stayed with you did 0:24:06.720 --> 0:24:08.960 you need to use a wheelchair from time to time? 0:24:09.480 --> 0:24:11.280 No, no, never. 0:24:11.760 --> 0:24:13.679 At that time that he stayed with you, had you 0:24:13.800 --> 0:24:16.040 been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia? 0:24:16.359 --> 0:24:18.440 Madame Flume chuckles at the suggestion. 0:24:19.760 --> 0:24:21.520 No, no, never. 0:24:21.480 --> 0:24:24.520 Mister Cassidon continues, during the time that he stayed with you, 0:24:24.640 --> 0:24:27.359 were you able to put more than two words together? 0:24:27.680 --> 0:24:32.360 Madame Flume clearly finds that suggestion ridiculous and highly amusing. 0:24:32.800 --> 0:24:37.800 She laughs as she responds yes. She denies that doctors 0:24:37.800 --> 0:24:40.600 were coming to see her frequently while mister Deheaervy was 0:24:40.600 --> 0:24:45.160 staying and claims he offered to value her husband's coin collection. 0:24:45.560 --> 0:24:47.840 What became of your husband's coin collection? 0:24:48.080 --> 0:24:51.359 I don't have it anymore. It was him who took it. 0:24:51.760 --> 0:24:53.919 How do you know that it was Frederic Aheevari that 0:24:54.000 --> 0:24:54.359 took it. 0:24:54.760 --> 0:24:57.760 He was viewing the coins and I went out for 0:24:57.840 --> 0:25:02.000 an errant, and when I came everything was gone. 0:25:02.119 --> 0:25:05.120 When you say everything was gone, do you mean everything? 0:25:05.760 --> 0:25:05.960 No? 0:25:06.400 --> 0:25:07.480 The coin collection. 0:25:08.119 --> 0:25:10.439 Did Frederick ever say that he would send you money 0:25:10.440 --> 0:25:12.000 for the value of your coin collection? 0:25:12.160 --> 0:25:16.560 He didn't see anything. He just left with it, that's all. 0:25:16.720 --> 0:25:18.720 Did he leave a note or a message for you 0:25:18.840 --> 0:25:19.680 while you were out. 0:25:19.960 --> 0:25:23.680 He left a little piece of paper to see that 0:25:23.760 --> 0:25:26.600