Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #14

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Will someone refresh my memory about the group involved in the furniture store venture? How many of the people are known and accounted for and are any, Hubert Willems, new players here? My question about Burwash/Sussex (off of the MB FB question) was why? To leave a failed business in Luxembourg and settle in the UK, when neither of them were from there, so that RB could still travel for business. When Burwash was not convenient to travel from! Did DdH have relatives nearby? Forget Burwash, why the UK? Was it because he had no criminal record there?

 

[Meligator]

Will someone refresh my memory about the group involved in the furniture store venture? How many of the people are known and accounted for and are any, Hubert Willems, new players here? My question about Burwash/Sussex (off of the MB FB question) was why? To leave a failed business in Luxembourg and settle in the UK, when neither of them were from there, so that RB could still travel for business. When Burwash was not convenient to travel from! Did DdH have relatives nearby? Forget Burwash, why the UK? Was it because he had no criminal record there?

Was that location connected to something important or did it become important after living there (an area he kept returning to)? Who knows. But I’d guess he conned someone good and needed to disappear. Also probably needed his wife to be someplace away from his “business” ventures so he didn’t have to go home every-night. It’s all crazy town.

 

[ruby925]

Will someone refresh my memory about the group involved in the furniture store venture? How many of the people are known and accounted for and are any, Hubert Willems, new players here? My question about Burwash/Sussex (off of the MB FB question) was why? To leave a failed business in Luxembourg and settle in the UK, when neither of them were from there, so that RB could still travel for business. When Burwash was not convenient to travel from! Did DdH have relatives nearby? Forget Burwash, why the UK? Was it because he had no criminal record there?

I don't have any inquest notes to hand, but my impression was that RB said DDH wanted to move to UK , primarily because of the language and for the children to be in English speaking schools. Does DDH speak French? I also think it suited RB to have the Channel separating his home from his crimes....all IMO

 

[mishy66]

Quite possibly the money didn't exist or it may have been gambled away? If the money could not be reclaimed in any way, any attack would at least provide an excuse for money owed to persons unknown or money expected by DDH/family?

Bingo
My thoughts too.

 

[BonnieB]

I'd be interested to know the history of this "stolen" money.

1. We've heard 2 stories about its origin from RB; it was his final inheritance payment & it was money raised by his cousins for his prostate operation. Is either of these stories true?

2. Did he willingly declare the money at Perth on 29/3/12 or was the money discovered during the customs check.

3. Did he choose to go through customs in Perth for a reason?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'd be interested to know the history of this "stolen" money

I had a chuckle to myself at that they have him on CCTV strolling around the shopping centre both before and after the so called attack and it was said that his appearance and manner didn't change and that there was no sign of him looking like anything had happened

 

[mishy66]

I had a chuckle to myself at that they have him on CCTV strolling around the shopping centre both before and after the so called attack and it was said that his appearance and manner didn't change and that there was no sign of him looking like anything had happened

....with a drink in hand lol

 

[BonnieB]

I had a chuckle to myself at that they have him on CCTV strolling around the shopping centre both before and after the so called attack and it was said that his appearance and manner didn't change and that there was no sign of him looking like anything had happened

I think it's fairly obvious that there was no attack, so why make up such an elaborate report?
I don't think he was ever concerned about explaining anything to his wife, so we can rule that out.
He wanted the "theft" documented in a police report. Why?

Was it because he was caught with the money at Perth and forced to declare it?
Did he need to prove he no longer had that money to Centrelink?

 

[mishy66]

I don't have any inquest notes to hand, but my impression was that RB said DDH wanted to move to UK , primarily because of the language and for the children to be in English speaking schools. Does DDH speak French? I also think it suited RB to have the Channel separating his home from his crimes....all IMO

Agree.
Get the wife out of the way and in an area she is familiar with - (visited the UK many times in her life, when single and when married.)
That way he is free to continue with his crimes and not implicate her and potentially risking having both parents caught !

Not a chance in hell she didnt know what was going on.
JMO

 

[mishy66]

O

I think it's fairly obvious that there was no attack, so why make up such an elaborate report?
I don't think he was ever concerned about explaining anything to his wife, so we can rule that out.
He wanted the "theft" documented in a police report. Why?

Was it because he was caught with the money at Perth and forced to declare it?
Did he need to prove he no longer had that money to Centrelink?

Or he owed that money to someone and a police report would verify he was robbed...

 

[BonnieB]

Agree.
Get the wife out of the way and in an area she is familiar with - (visited the UK many times in her life, when single and when married.)
That way he is free to continue with his crimes and not implicate her and potentially risking having both parents caught !

Not a chance in hell she didnt know what was going on.
JMO

And we have to remember that for every crime we know about, there are probably dozens he got away with. Three years...he roamed around Europe while his wife & kids were in the UK.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wish there was CCTV of Marion "throwing herself" at him

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It's amazing how many times he used the excuse of getting "attacked".

 

[BonnieB]

O

Or he owed that money to someone and a police report would verify he was robbed...

Yeah, I thought of that too, but are they going to have access to a police report for verification? The whole point of his little performance that morning was to have the robbery recorded by police.

 

[Meligator]

Wonder if he ever actually paid for his prostate surgery? Or did he work a discount because all his money was stolen

 

[brjakj]

Wonder if he ever actually paid for his prostate surgery? Or did he work a discount because all his money was stolen

Medicare - it was free! Another bonus of having citizenship.

 

[Meligator]

I don’t know enough about European criminal justice system, but his Luxembourg lounger business aligns with his later 70’s convictions (which seem to not result in jail time) — did his punishment require evidence of real/legal employment perhaps? Was the lounge business a way to appear legit during a probation period? Just a guess

 

[BonnieB]

Medicare - it was free! Another bonus of having citizenship.

Not for a private surgeon it isn't, which was mentioned at the inquest. In 2017, the average cost of a radical prostatectomy ranged from $14,553 to $55,928 depending on the surgeon.

 

[HinterlandObserver]

This was posted in a group I’m in, which reminded me of RB straight away.
Seems like it’s really not that hard to mess with coins?

 

[KiwiNZ]

Not for a private surgeon it isn't, which was mentioned at the inquest. In 2017, the average cost of a radical prostatectomy ranged from $14,553 to $55,928 depending on the surgeon.

I could be wrong but I am sure she said they paid for a private consultation but the op was under medicare ... I will go back and listen again