Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #7

[Belleandsebastian]

Guttered

I know, there goes my Valentine’s Day!

 

[vivienbee]

@vivienbee I'm with you. So Dutch dentist couldn't have been Blum, imo, because Marion already knew him. But Blum seemed to have a connection to England for his cons. A friend, accomplice, relative -- someone to keep him yoyo-ing back there with victims? (Was Maz written or spoken? Ive forgotten. Might it have been "Mrs." So dentist and [his] Mrs.)

I can't remember 100% but I'm pretty sure it was written on a postcard, and one of Marion's sisters made mention of the fact that they called her "Maz", so she'd find it a novelty to meet someone with her own name. (Heavily from memory, might not be quite accurate.)

 

[vivienbee]

I know, there goes my Valentine’s Day!

You can be my Valentine if you like.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Mostly closed court? Interesting! One reason might be that there is sensitive information that might influence the outcome of another trial. Not sure who is speaking today, but there might be info revealed that implicates RB or a witness of unlawful activity in a current or future trial. Just a possibility. Oh... TLV fb says that Diane De Hedervary and Ric Blum are speaking today.

 

[Belleandsebastian]

Guttered

I know, there goes my Valentine’s Day!

You can be my Valentine if you like.

Aww, thanks vivienbee!

 

[KiwiNZ]

Mostly closed court? Interesting! One reason might be that there is sensitive information that might influence the outcome of another trial. Not sure who is speaking today, but there might be info revealed that implicates RB or a witness of unlawful activity that may go on to have it's own charges and hearing. Just a possibility. Or his kids are speaking and don't want the circus.

I would have though his lawyer may have requested a closed court - I know if was me I would be asking my lawyer to try and get a closed court lol

 

[Deleted member 249471]

"Convicted conman Ric Blum and his wife, Diane De Hedervary, are both scheduled to appear at Ballina Courthouse, near where they live." 7News article this morning.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

I would have though his lawyer may have requested a closed court - I know if was me I would be asking my lawyer to try and get a closed court lol

Naaawww, widdle Willy Wouters wants his privacy.

His face isn't out in the media yet, right? I guess the fear is that if his face does go public, a million victims and witnesses will come forward. For all his crimes, not just Marion's.

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Well they have said ‘much’ of today - not today is a closed court - someone has asked for a closed court.. either RB or Diane..hopefully not both so we can hear some of it.

agree Peralta if his image is all over the media others will surface.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

The inquest into Marion Barter resumes today in Ballina. For all the latest watch @7NewsAustralia tonight at 6pm Marion Barter’s former ‘secret lover’ to appear at inquest into her disappearance

https://twitter.com/alisonsandy/status/1492952053215547392?s=20&t=NLKM_d1vMIGTJ6ek5DyO7g

 

[mishy66]

Much of today will be closed court - just posted to fb page

Yes this was announced on Day 1 of inquest

 

[TootsieFootsie]

10 minutes ago Alison Sandy is still saying there is a live feed and that she'll send the link shortly.

https://twitter.com/alisonsandy/status/1492952053215547392

 

[KeenSleuth17]

Well they have said ‘much’ of today - not today is a closed court - someone has asked for a closed court.. either RB or Diane..hopefully not both so we can hear some of it.

agree Peralta if his image is all over the media others will surface.

It’s possible that DdH asked for a closed court and they granted it on the basis that she doesn’t want to be connected to the guy just because she married him once. Also their children that share their name have changed FB names and closed some online pages etc presumably due to the privacy issues and people contacting or stalking them, so I guess they have grounds for DdH to request a closed court.
Personally I don’t think RB deserves a closed court, but I can understand that Her Honour may not wish for future criminal court/criminal jury to be swayed by the evidence provided by him in this inquest so as to ensure procedural fairness etc so they have chosen a closed court.
I think given that they have said “much of today” is closed court rather than all day/all week is closed court, may indicate that it is just a small portion ie her evidence, rather than his which I think will go for multiple days. I don’t think they would have him on the stand before her, as they will want to use her evidence to question him, as they have done with JO and GGB.
Just my opinion - !

 

[mishy66]

Well they have said ‘much’ of today - not today is a closed court - someone has asked for a closed court.. either RB or Diane..hopefully not both so we can hear some of it.

agree Peralta if his image is all over the media others will surface.

More likely because it will go to trial and they dont want it to fall having come this far. We only have to remember the Jayden Leskie saga to realise that public comments can affect outcomes.

 

[Carovb5]

Well they have said ‘much’ of today - not today is a closed court - someone has asked for a closed court.. either RB or Diane..hopefully not both so we can hear some of it.

agree Peralta if his image is all over the media others will surface.

What’s the paparazzi like in Australia? Is it like the UK, where you often can find a lot of pictures of accused and witnesses/victims, or like for instance Belgium, where you don’t see faces unless they approve/are convicted?

if it’s behind closed doors, does that mean the media can write about it, just not live? Or does that mean the info is private?

So sorry for the many questions, so many differences between countries!

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Link please. A lot of us must have missed that.

Yes this was announced on Day 1 of inquest

 

[mishy66]

It’s possible that DdH asked for a closed court and they granted it on the basis that she doesn’t want to be connected to the guy just because she married him once. Also their children that share their name have changed FB names and closed some online pages etc presumably due to the privacy issues and people contacting or stalking them, so I guess they have grounds for DdH to request a closed court.
Personally I don’t think RB deserves a closed court, but I can understand that Her Honour may not wish for future criminal court/criminal jury to be swayed by the evidence provided by him in this inquest so as to ensure procedural fairness etc so they have chosen a closed court.
I think given that they have said “much of today” is closed court rather than all day/all week is closed court, may indicate that it is just a small portion ie her evidence, rather than his which I think will go for multiple days. I don’t think they would have him on the stand before her, as they will want to use her evidence to question him, as they have done with JO and GGB.
Just my opinion - !

Agree. And yes the adult children of that marriage would be also victims in his tangled web of deceit. The daughter still has a social media presence as of this morning though. The son would find it difficult being in the industry he is in. I feel sorry for them.

 

[caitlincurious]

More likely because it will go to trial and they dont want it to fall having come this far. We only have to remember the Jayden Leskie saga to realise that public comments can affect outcomes.

Do you really think so? Everything is circumstantial at this stage... unless (and hopefully) there is some sort of direct evidence he was involved in Marion's disappearance, there is no real case. There have been other coroner's court proceedings where the victim is ruled dead, and a man is found likely to have done it, but no trial is able to occur due to paucity of evidence. I really HOPE they convict him if he is guilty of making her disappear but with the passage of time, and the time he has had to clean up his tracks, I think it's less likely.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If there is a live feed it will go up on the NSW Coroners Youtube channel so I'll just keep checking.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH6Wxgb8ZNsOqXFxhGwskfQ/videos

 

[caitlincurious]

If anyone has any time, would someone be able to explain the whole safety deposit box thing? I never got around to watching that part of the inquest and didn't really get its significance.