Australia Australia - Marion Barter - Missing After Trip to UK - June 1997 #18

[Brown Alleycat]

Didn’t he offer to do a lie detector test during the inquest?

He probably did. He knows our courts don't allow lie detector tests as admissible evidence.

 

[gymtonic]

It's the first time I've seen the second photo.

I think I didn't scroll down far enough before.
One look at his ugly mug and I quickly turned the page

The second photo is from someone’s else’s passport scanned to the same page. IMO

EDIT: Late to the party I see that has already been pointed out!

 

[gymtonic]

IMO, we need to take care not to place her in the perpetrator column either just yet as I don’t feel that there is enough convincing evidence. For him, on the other hand, there are multiple corroborating witness accounts, official records plus his own words and behaviour on the witness stand that paint a definite picture of dishonesty, lack of empathy and a propensity for threats of violence and coercion. There is a very real possibility of domestic abuse directed at both her and the children spanning many years. Understand that it’s frustrating that she is not being cooperative when it’s highly likely that she is aware of significant information. She may have even wittingly or unwittingly been an enabler to him with his shady operations. She may, however, have not had a choice. She is certainly not the perfect victim. But with domestic abuse it is not usually black and white. Victims can sometimes display resistance (as in the neighbours’ story). This is not necessarily an inconsistency, just the reality of an abusive relationship. Not all victims are cooperative with their abuser 100% of the time. I can’t imagine that AKA would have been a joy to live with and it’s very plausible that she attempted to assert herself from time to time. She has been in the relationship for many years but that is very common in cases of domestic abuse when you understand the concept of entrapment. Why didn’t she leave? Like many victims of domestic abuse, she may not have had a choice. It is a well known fact that the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is after the victim expresses the intention to leave. There are plenty of recent cases that illustrate this eg Hannah Clarke. Perhaps Ilona was in a similar situation. Further, as a society, we have traditionally turned a blind eye to domestic abuse and as a result there is not a lot of support for victims who want to get out. There is more awareness now but we still have a long way to go. I just wonder if she did decide to leave now and cooperate with the investigation whether it’s realistic to expect that she would receive sufficient support. This man has been reported to the authorities on numerous occasions over the past 4 decades and he has never been held accountable and is still walking free. There’s never the guarantee of incarceration and she could be left in a situation where her life was constantly in danger. In addition, it’s highly probable that she has been voluntarily or involuntarily involved in some of his nefarious activities eg social security fraud, (also very common in abusive relationships) so she would have the possibility of getting caught for this Apologies for the long post but I believe it’s really important that we understand this case in the context of what we now know about how domestic abuse and coercive control operate.

Don’t apologise for a well thought out and reasoned post.

 

[Martinie]

Didn’t he offer to do a lie detector test during the inquest?

Guilty people will often say things like that so that they appear innocent. I saw it on one of those behaviour analyst shows. Then if they fail, they use the "Lie detector tests aren't reliable" argument.

 

[Annalize]

Guilty people will often say things like that so that they appear innocent. I saw it on one of those behaviour analyst shows. Then if they fail, they use the "Lie detector tests aren't reliable" argument.

Old Einstein always thinks he is the smartest one in the room.. ludicrous.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

In between more news articles, today I have a calm before the storm feeling.
Like something is brewing.

 

[Deleted member 83851]

I hope you’re right TootsieFootsie!

My fantasy—expressed here many times!—is that the victims (or their families) of his financial fraud and thieving will sue him for compensation. His hidden accounts might then come to light.

IMO his family should not benefit from his criminal handiwork going forward.

I have tried to roughly estimate how much he has stolen in say the last 50 years and of course it’s impossible to know. But let’s say it is in the million dollar range. That’s not even counting the Centrelink rorting. 1 disabled + 1 carer pensions for 2 perfectly healthy people. This is categorically unfair, especially measured against the Australians who are far more deserving.

Make no mistake, I want full Justice for Marion.

 

[HinterlandObserver]

How many people have to be upset before it’s acknowledged a case has been mishandled. And how many mishandled cases does it take to get a review of the stations bungling the cases. The sad part is it’s a continuous disaster in some towns.

 

[Behrnsy]

Was IK ever part of renov pubs, like a shareholder etc.
I was wondering if he had to put some legitimately through the company and she would have got some benefit from that. Which he would have hated. Is there anyway to track that sort of stuff down?

 

[brjakj]

Was IK ever part of renov pubs, like a shareholder etc.
I was wondering if he had to put some legitimately through the company and she would have got some benefit from that. Which he would have hated. Is there anyway to track that sort of stuff down?

I don’t think she was. I vaguely recall Joni posted company documents on the MPMB FB page but I can’t find them now.

Others here may have saved them.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I think if anyone in his family got some benefit, he would have got there first and made it his, behind their backs.
Like inheritances etc.

 

[hahahils]

Has anyone listened to the latest episode of the Buried Bones podcast? I’m listening to it now. Very interesting crossovers - it’s about a French conman in world war 1.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I just did a search for "ric blum" and came up with a document at John Hopkins University.

The document is titled

My Many Selves: The Quest For a Plausible Harmony

And is by a W Blum

LOL

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I just did a search for "ric blum" and came up with a document at John Hopkins University.

The document is titled

My Many Selves: The Quest For a Plausible Harmony

And is by a W Blum

LOL

I looked it up and was sorely disappointed. Not by W Blum but Wayne C Booth, a famous U of Chicago English professor and critic. Well, it should be by Ric Blum

 

[centred]

In my opinion, Marion had done nothing that she should have felt ashamed of.

And if there was a spotlight, like at the school, it was most likely manufactured by a certain someone.

Also Marion was not under an "intense spotlight"

But Mr AKA does seem to be. Just sayin'

shame is in context after finding out who and what he had done to her ..just to clarify . I would think on disappearing initially in her shoes at the time ...changing her name by marriage , she may never be found , she also may well be now deceased in this scenario , but the spotlight grows over time and is brighter now then ever before ...JMO

 

[CavKinsk]

Conman Blum ‘got me at a low point’​

A woman says serial fraudster Ric Blum got her at her lowest before threatening to send intimate images of her to her family, friends and church.
The Australian

 

[brjakj]

Damn paywall. Any new facts/info worth sharing?

“He’s ugly, he’s got not much education. No looks, no personality, insipid,” she said.

That is the best quote!!

 

[Laughing]

“He’s ugly, he’s got not much education. No looks, no personality, insipid,” she said.

That is the best quote!!

Um, so just how did the speaker 'fall for' his con, then???

OR was this an ex?

 

[brjakj]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed> This is one of the women from the inquest that doesn’t want to be named publically.

She said that he preyed on her desire to be more finally secure and her desire to have a business outside of her other business. She said that he preys on his victims wants, eg the need for a partner or a need for a business parter etc.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/conman-ric-blum-got-me-at-low-point/news-story/d4ff9c05881c35137b4342cb37b9a3dc?amp

Conman Ric Blum ‘got me at a low point’ with intimate images​

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