Found Deceased Australia - Matthew Leveson, 20, Cronulla, NSW, 24 Sept 2007

[Bohemian]

Boys, booze and all night parties: Michael Atkins new life in Brisbane as police halt forest search for his missing lover

'AS MATTHEW Leveson’s parents watched on for a week as police dug up the forest in search of their son’s remains, up in Brisbane the party hasn’t stopped for the man tried and acquitted of the 20-year-old’s murder.

After leaving Sydney following his acquittal, Michael Atkins continued on in Brisbane partying with young men at a nightclub, taking them back to his flat for sex, a former young friend of Mr Atkins told news.com.au.

“He called them ‘pool parties for stars’ and he’d want the youngest and most attractive men he could find and we’d get ludicrously drunk and out of it,” the former friend said.

“He was always groping us. He’d want everyone’s shirts off and then he’d be grabbing young guys on the a**e.

“We just thought he was an old guy trying to have fun while he still can.”'

 

[Mountain Mumma]

Not sure about the legalities of this but I can ask my friend, who is a criminal Defence barrister, next time I see him.

Excellent, looking forward to any developments..

 

[Bohemian]

New details about Michael Atkins’ life cruising for young men

'NEW details and photographs of Michael Atkins’ sexual behaviour with young men in the years since he was tried and acquitted of Matthew Leveson’s murder have emerged.

Former friends have exclusively revealed to news.com.au about how Mr Atkins, 54, targeted drunk young men in an effort to have sex with them anywhere and everywhere.

The Brisbane electrician had a voracious appetite for “banging” multiple teenage men.

Pictures of Mr Atkins, who held what he called “pool parties for stars” at his home, show him surrounded by young men.

In one photograph of a fancy dress night, Mr Atkins is dressed in a green cap and jerkin as Peter Pan, the symbol of eternal youth.

The friends told news.com.au that he would always insist the young men take their shirts off as soon as they entered his Fortitude Valley flat in inner-city Brisbane, where every one would get “very wasted”.

“He always approached extremely drunk men and if he was interested in them he would lure them in with promises of sex with [Atkins’ much younger boyfriend] Craig.

“Before everything came to light about what happened with Matthew, we would always tell our friends who hadn’t met him of what he would be like.”'

'Mr Atkins became friends with a group of young men on the Brisbane gay scene when he moved there after he was acquitted of Matthew’s death in 2009.

These friends say he continued his rapacious pursuit of young sex partners at The Beat nightclub in Fortitude Valley.

“I remember on one of the last nights that we were out together he (Atkins) was talking about problems he was having with his then boyfriend Craig,” one of the friends told news.com.au.

“They were having issues in their relationship and he wanted a big night out to help forget his problems.'

'“He kept telling me ‘you can’t say anything to Craig’ or ‘make sure you don’t open your mouth’ referring to him cruising (looking to pick up) the beat for young men.

“After a bit, he found this young guy, who was so drunk.

“Mike was all over him on the dance floor, taking his shirt off and putting his hands down his pants while we were all dancing.

“We left the dance floor shortly after and Mike told me that they were going back to his for a few more drinks and I should come with them.

“I declined because I was now with some other people.

“After a little while Mike was back out at The Beat bragging about how he ‘banged’ this guy and dumped him in a cab so he could go back out clubbing.

“He kept on making sure that I would never mention this to Craig.

“I look back at this now and think of all the times that we kind of just sat back and watched this sort of behaviour.

“We would make a point of telling our friends who hadn’t met him that he was really touchy and feely.

“We would tell them that if it got too much then we would move a little further away.”'

 

[Bohemian]

Leveson parents warn Michael Atkins ‘watch over your shoulder’

'THE parents of Matthew Leveson say the decision to call off a search for his remains has not dampened their resolve — and they have issued a stark warning to the man they believe murdered their boy.'

'“We’re now even more determined to find Matt,” his father Mark Leveson said. “So Atkins, look over your shoulder.”'

'Mark Leveson said his family’s search was still far from over.

“I’ve got to say what this does is only strengthen our resolve,” he told reporters.

Earlier on Thursday, Faye Leveson spoke of the devastating toll the search for her son had taken on his brothers.'

'“It’s just heart-wrenching, devastating, and the boys are ... I can’t put it into words,” she said.

“It’s been nine years, over nine years, and we were hoping we’d get the chance to bring Matty home.

“Every day I’ve been coming down here with a plaque to put here that says he’s been found.” The hunt for some trace of the 20-year-old ramped up significantly in its final hours.

A dozen uniformed officers arrived at the site on Thursday morning, performing a line search beyond the boundaries of the area crews had already searched and searched again.

Faye and Mark Leveson then pinpointed several new locations for police to excavate, before the heavy machinery was shut down for the last time around 2pm. Detective Inspector Gary Jubelin said investigators were not walking away from the case.

“The search conducted by the NSW Police in this area of national park is now concluded,” he told reporters.

“We’re going to continue in our efforts to locate Matthew Leveson.'

'Det Insp Jubelin paid tribute to the young man’s family, who maintained a steady vigil at the site through every day of the search.

“It’s been difficult for them and it’s been a privilege to work with them on this investigation,” he said.'

'Ms Upton declined to comment on Thursday after the search was called off. The coronial inquiry into Matthew Leveson’s disappearance will resume next year.'

 

[symbah]

New details about Michael Atkins’ life cruising for young men

'NEW details and photographs of Michael Atkins’ sexual behaviour with young men in the years since he was tried and acquitted of Matthew Leveson’s murder have emerged.

Former friends have exclusively revealed to news.com.au about how Mr Atkins, 54, targeted drunk young men in an effort to have sex with them anywhere and everywhere.

The Brisbane electrician had a voracious appetite for “banging” multiple teenage men.

Pictures of Mr Atkins, who held what he called “pool parties for stars” at his home, show him surrounded by young men.

In one photograph of a fancy dress night, Mr Atkins is dressed in a green cap and jerkin as Peter Pan, the symbol of eternal youth.

The friends told news.com.au that he would always insist the young men take their shirts off as soon as they entered his Fortitude Valley flat in inner-city Brisbane, where every one would get “very wasted”.

“He always approached extremely drunk men and if he was interested in them he would lure them in with promises of sex with [Atkins’ much younger boyfriend] Craig.

“Before everything came to light about what happened with Matthew, we would always tell our friends who hadn’t met him of what he would be like.”'

'Mr Atkins became friends with a group of young men on the Brisbane gay scene when he moved there after he was acquitted of Matthew’s death in 2009.

These friends say he continued his rapacious pursuit of young sex partners at The Beat nightclub in Fortitude Valley.

“I remember on one of the last nights that we were out together he (Atkins) was talking about problems he was having with his then boyfriend Craig,” one of the friends told news.com.au.

“They were having issues in their relationship and he wanted a big night out to help forget his problems.'

'“He kept telling me ‘you can’t say anything to Craig’ or ‘make sure you don’t open your mouth’ referring to him cruising (looking to pick up) the beat for young men.

“After a bit, he found this young guy, who was so drunk.

“Mike was all over him on the dance floor, taking his shirt off and putting his hands down his pants while we were all dancing.

“We left the dance floor shortly after and Mike told me that they were going back to his for a few more drinks and I should come with them.

“I declined because I was now with some other people.

“After a little while Mike was back out at The Beat bragging about how he ‘banged’ this guy and dumped him in a cab so he could go back out clubbing.

“He kept on making sure that I would never mention this to Craig.

“I look back at this now and think of all the times that we kind of just sat back and watched this sort of behaviour.

“We would make a point of telling our friends who hadn’t met him that he was really touchy and feely.

“We would tell them that if it got too much then we would move a little further away.”'

Such a parasite.

I thought he'd be in police custody till he led them to Matthews remains.
But obviously thats not how it works.

Imo he's a danger to those he crosses paths with and I wonder what the time frame is before he's charged with perjury and contempt of court.

 

[Bohemian]

Excellent, looking forward to any developments..

I saw him today but he had his two young children with him so I didn't want to bring it up in front of them and because his weekends are precious family time. I'll ask him when he's wearing his 'barrister's hat' (or should that be 'wig'?)

 

[Bohemian]

Such a parasite.

I thought he'd be in police custody till he led them to Matthews remains.
But obviously thats not how it works.

Imo he's a danger to those he crosses paths with and I wonder what the time frame is before he's charged with perjury and contempt of court.

Definitely a creep. That's how he's described by an acquaintance in the headline of.one subscriber-only MSM article.

I presume he's free because he hasn't been charged with those offences yet.

The inquest is set to resume in March 2017 AFAI. NSW Police may wait until then so they don't have to go through the process of extraditing him from Queensland. It will subsequently be up to a magistrate to decide if he receives bail, I guess.

I am horrified by the idea that he's walking around the GC a free man; especially during Schoolies' Week.

 

[symbah]

Definitely a creep. That's how he's described by an acquaintance in the headline of.one subscriber-only MSM article.

I presume he's free because he hasn't been charged with those offences yet.

The inquest is set to resume in March 2017 AFAI. NSW Police may wait until then so they don't have to go through the process of extraditing him from Queensland. It will subsequently be up to a magistrate to decide if he receives bail, I guess.

I am horrified by the idea that he's walking around the GC a free man; especially during Schoolies' Week.

I'm horrified too and hope its not a case of the more stressed he is the more deviant his behaviour is.
I thought it was odd that the day Matthew disappeared he drove to Newcastle that evening to a very young man's place to hook up with him, covered in dirt from what he'd done that day. Will try to find link.

 

[symbah]

Found a link, and it was 3 days after that he went to Newcastle. Which makes me wonder where was Matthew kept in the days leading up to him going to Newcastle?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-...rtner-probed-on-muddy-clothes-digging/7994462

The partner of missing Sydney man Matthew Leveson has been asked to explain his muddy clothes and denied any "heavy digging" in the days after his boyfriend went missing.
The inquest is investigating the disappearance of Matthew Leveson in September 2007 and his presumed death given his body has never been found.
The inquest heard his partner, Mr Atkins, 53, who was previously charged and acquitted of Mr Leveson's murder, was wearing dirty and grimy clothes while attending a first date with another man, three days after Mr Leveson went missing.
Counsel assisting, Lester Fernandez, asked Mr Atkins whether he had stopped to dig at any point during the drive from his unit in Cronulla to the engagement at Newcastle that day.
"No," Mr Atkins responded.
Michael Atkins told the inquest he had not changed his clothes or showered before leaving his home because "it was getting late".
Atkins quizzed over dirty clothes at date

Upon further questioning Mr Atkins told the inquest he had arranged the date in Newcastle after contacting the man, referred to by the pseudonym Bradley Johns, on a gay dating website and having "web sex" with him.
He said he arrived at Mr Johns' home at about 11:30pm and went to have a shower and change into some fresh clothes.
Counsel assisting asked what sort of impression he thought he would make turning up for a first date in dirty clothes.
"I am a hard worker maybe," Mr Atkins replied.

 

[symbah]

Definitely a creep. That's how he's described by an acquaintance in the headline of.one subscriber-only MSM article.

I presume he's free because he hasn't been charged with those offences yet.

The inquest is set to resume in March 2017 AFAI. NSW Police may wait until then so they don't have to go through the process of extraditing him from Queensland. It will subsequently be up to a magistrate to decide if he receives bail, I guess.

I am horrified by the idea that he's walking around the GC a free man; especially during Schoolies' Week.

And why has he not been charged yet?
He hasn't lived up to his part of the bargain.
What kind of time frame has this deal got?

 

[Bohemian]

Found a link, and it was 3 days after that he went to Newcastle. Which makes me wonder where was Matthew kept in the days leading up to him going to Newcastle?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-...rtner-probed-on-muddy-clothes-digging/7994462

The partner of missing Sydney man Matthew Leveson has been asked to explain his muddy clothes and denied any "heavy digging" in the days after his boyfriend went missing.
The inquest is investigating the disappearance of Matthew Leveson in September 2007 and his presumed death given his body has never been found.
The inquest heard his partner, Mr Atkins, 53, who was previously charged and acquitted of Mr Leveson's murder, was wearing dirty and grimy clothes while attending a first date with another man, three days after Mr Leveson went missing.
Counsel assisting, Lester Fernandez, asked Mr Atkins whether he had stopped to dig at any point during the drive from his unit in Cronulla to the engagement at Newcastle that day.
"No," Mr Atkins responded.
Michael Atkins told the inquest he had not changed his clothes or showered before leaving his home because "it was getting late".
Atkins quizzed over dirty clothes at date

Upon further questioning Mr Atkins told the inquest he had arranged the date in Newcastle after contacting the man, referred to by the pseudonym Bradley Johns, on a gay dating website and having "web sex" with him.
He said he arrived at Mr Johns' home at about 11:30pm and went to have a shower and change into some fresh clothes.
Counsel assisting asked what sort of impression he thought he would make turning up for a first date in dirty clothes.
"I am a hard worker maybe," Mr Atkins replied.

Yes, there was a report in another MSM article which makes me think he didn't bury Matthew's body intact but either wholly, or partly, incinerated it before burial (or, even more gruesomely, went back to Matthew's 'gravesite' earlier on the day he drove to Newcastle to have sex with 'Bradley Johns' to do so). Maybe the only thing poor Mr and Mrs Leveson, their family and DCI Gary Jubelin will find of Matthew are his ashes.

Michael Atkins is a vile human being. First of all for killing Matthew and lying about it, then for leaving Matthew's family to 'live in limbo' for all of those years and now, I suspect, lying about either where Matthew's remains are, or if he tampered with them before or after his murder.

Here's the article that started me thinking along those lines:

'[...] [T]he evidence that couldn’t be put to the trial jury, which included Mr Atkins’ pursuit of young men in the days following Matthew’s disappearance, comes under the spotlight.

On one assignation, Mr Atkins arrived in clothes covered head to toe in “ashy dirt”.'

'Another young man, given the pseudonym “Bradley Johns”, gave evidence that he met Mr Atkins via an online gay chat room in 2006, and the two would engage in masturbation via webcams, during which he could see Matthew moving around in the room behind Mr Atkins.

Certain facts of what later happened between Bradley Johns and Mr Atkins would never be heard at his 2009, but they would prove shocking evidence at the inquest into Mr Leveson’s death.'

'It was September 25, 2007, two days after Matthew’s disappearance.

Mr Atkins had arranged to meet Bradley Johns for their first physical encounter, and driven 170km to Newcastle to have sex.

'WHAT MICHAEL ATKINS DID TWO DAYS AFTER MATTHEW’S DISAPPEARANCE

Earlier this year, Mr Johns told the inquest that Mr Atkins had arrived at his Hunter Street flat covered in dirt from top to toe.

Mr Johns said Mr Atkins was wearing work clothes and boots, which were caked with an “ashy dirt”.

Although they had never met before, Mr Atkins insisted on going straight to the bathroom for a 20 to 30 minute shower.

The two men then had sex, and when Mr Johns asked him about Mr Leveson, Mr Atkins “said he was away and it wasn’t an issue he was seeing me”.

The pair went to nearby Fanny’s nightclub, had a few drinks and danced, after which Mr Johns “dodged him” and returned home alone.

In his bathroom, Mr Johns found Mr Atkins’ soiled work clothes still on the floor.

He put the clothes in a plastic bag, and ignored text messages and phone calls from Mr Atkins who wanted to collect his clothes the following morning.

“I was scared Michael Atkins might be angry with me and come and hurt me,” he said.

Mr Johns said he was unable to find the bag of clothes when police contacted him in March 2009.'

The seedy world of Mike Atkins laid bare as the grim task of digging for his lover’s body enters fifth day​

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I'm horrified too and hope its not a case of the more stressed he is the more deviant his behaviour is.
I thought it was odd that the day Matthew disappeared he drove to Newcastle that evening to a very young man's place to hook up with him, covered in dirt from what he'd done that day. Will try to find link.

I agree, there could be a link. I also wonder if he is leading the police on a wild goose chase just because he can, like Ian Brady, who won't reveal the location of the remains of one of his victims. These characters make my stomach turn, they're into punishment and control. How better to control his whole environment, everyone hanging on to every word he utters. He's a pathetic old man, no disrespect intended, but I think that insult would cut him deep.

 

[Bohemian]

And why has he not been charged yet?
He hasn't lived up to his part of the bargain.
What kind of time frame has this deal got?

In answer to your questions, your guess is as good as mine, ie:

Dunno.
I know.
Dunno.

 

[Bohemian]

I agree, there could be a link. I also wonder if he is leading the police on a wild goose chase just because he can, like Ian Brady, who won't reveal the location of the remains of one of his victims. These characters make my stomach turn, they're into punishment and control. How better to control his whole environment, everyone hanging on to every word he utters. He's a pathetic old man, no disrespect intended, but I think that insult would cut him deep.

:floorlaugh: Marowr Prime :cat:

 

[symbah]

Yes, there was a report in another MSM article which makes me think he didn't bury Matthew's body intact but either wholly, or partly, incinerated it before burial (or, even more gruesomely, went back to Matthew's 'gravesite' earlier on the day he drove to Newcastle to have sex with 'Bradley Johns' to do so). Maybe the only thing poor Mr and Mrs Leveson, their family and DCI Gary Jubelin will find of Matthew are his ashes.

Michael Atkins is a vile human being. First of all for killing Matthew and lying about it, then for leaving Matthew's family to 'live in limbo' for all of those years and now, I suspect, lying about either where Matthew's remains are, or if he tampered with them before or after his murder.

Here's the article that started me thinking along those lines:

'[...] [T]he evidence that couldn’t be put to the trial jury, which included Mr Atkins’ pursuit of young men in the days following Matthew’s disappearance, comes under the spotlight.

On one assignation, Mr Atkins arrived in clothes covered head to toe in “ashy dirt”.'

'Another young man, given the pseudonym “Bradley Johns”, gave evidence that he met Mr Atkins via an online gay chat room in 2006, and the two would engage in masturbation via webcams, during which he could see Matthew moving around in the room behind Mr Atkins.

Certain facts of what later happened between Bradley Johns and Mr Atkins would never be heard at his 2009, but they would prove shocking evidence at the inquest into Mr Leveson’s death.'

'It was September 25, 2007, two days after Matthew’s disappearance.

Mr Atkins had arranged to meet Bradley Johns for their first physical encounter, and driven 170km to Newcastle to have sex.

'WHAT MICHAEL ATKINS DID TWO DAYS AFTER MATTHEW’S DISAPPEARANCE

Earlier this year, Mr Johns told the inquest that Mr Atkins had arrived at his Hunter Street flat covered in dirt from top to toe.

Mr Johns said Mr Atkins was wearing work clothes and boots, which were caked with an “ashy dirt”.

Although they had never met before, Mr Atkins insisted on going straight to the bathroom for a 20 to 30 minute shower.

The two men then had sex, and when Mr Johns asked him about Mr Leveson, Mr Atkins “said he was away and it wasn’t an issue he was seeing me”.

The pair went to nearby Fanny’s nightclub, had a few drinks and danced, after which Mr Johns “dodged him” and returned home alone.

In his bathroom, Mr Johns found Mr Atkins’ soiled work clothes still on the floor.

He put the clothes in a plastic bag, and ignored text messages and phone calls from Mr Atkins who wanted to collect his clothes the following morning.

“I was scared Michael Atkins might be angry with me and come and hurt me,” he said.

Mr Johns said he was unable to find the bag of clothes when police contacted him in March 2009.'

The seedy world of Mike Atkins laid bare as the grim task of digging for his lover’s body enters fifth day​

Oh, thank you Bohemian, I hadn't read that the dirt on Atkins was ashy.

What TH has he done? Is there nothing left?

The days in between are so worrying and I must say the purchase of the gaffer tape that morning is extremely disturbing.

Also, surely Mr Johns must remember what happened to Atkin's dirty clothes. He was scared of him, he dodged him later that evening. Surely he must remember. I must say, imo, Atkins would of gone to extreme lengths to get his clothes back under the circumstances.

 

[symbah]

In fact, Atkins must of been off his face or something to just leave his dirty, crime ridden clothes on a person's bathroom floor, someone that he had only just met. Just leave them there and go out to a nightclub and not physically return for them. He knew where John's lived. It doesn't make sense.

 

[Bohemian]

Oh, thank you Bohemian, I hadn't read that the dirt on Atkins was ashy.

What TH has he done? Is there nothing left?

The days in between are so worrying and I must say the purchase of the gaffer tape that morning is extremely disturbing.

Also, surely Mr Johns must remember what happened to Atkin's dirty clothes. He was scared of him, he dodged him later that evening. Surely he must remember. I must say, imo, Atkins would of gone to extreme lengths to get his clothes back under the circumstances.

That's what everyone would like to know; particularly Matthew's loved ones. Well, if police and Matthew's family haven't been able to find the location of Matthew's 'gravesite' (pending ID of the tennis shoe or the other piece of 'insignificant'(?) evidence found) after all of this time and effort, I suggest that either Atkins is continuing to lie or that there's very little 'significant' evidence, including Matthew's remains, to be found.

I suggest one of us should look back through the thread and put a timeline together, including the last occasion Matthew was reported alive, the date of Atkins' purchases, his movements, when and where Matthew's car was found, etc, along with anything that stands out as unusual, eg; Atkins' work clothes and boots that were covered with 'ashy dirt'. Timelines always seem to be helpful.

I wonder how Johns managed to fob off Atkins after he left what can only be described as highly incriminating evidence at his home. I wonder if:

1. the 'items' as described, ie; Atkins' work clothes and boots coverered in 'ashy dirt', actually existed;
2. Johns disposed of the items and told Atkins he had done so,
3. As for 3. but at Atkins' request,
4. Johns kept the items as insurance or to blackmail Atkins, and/or
5. Johns lied about having the items to police and subsequently disposed of them.

Johns telling police that he was 'unable find' Atkins' work clothes and boots passes the Aussie 'pub test' at the about the same level of believability as the answer 'I don't recall.' to a Crown Prosecutor's questioning, ie; it doesn't IMO.

 

[Bohemian]

In fact, Atkins must of been off his face or something to just leave his dirty, crime ridden clothes on a person's bathroom floor, someone that he had only just met. Just leave them there and go out to a nightclub and not physically return for them. He knew where John's lived. It doesn't make sense.

This is where a timeline comes in handy. IIRC he [Atkins] had been to the Sleaze Ball the night before.

 

[symbah]

A man who was 21 when he met the couple three months before Matthew’s disappearance said Mr Atkins sometimes used his lover to procure younger guys for group sex.
In August 2007, after taking GHB from a cup, he watched Mr Atkins have sex in the Cronulla unit and then had sex with Mr Atkins himself.
He wanted to have sex with Matthew but felt Mr Atkins would become jealous. Mr Atkins told him, “If I wasn’t with Matt, I’d be with you.”
The man remembers Matthew, on the last night of his life, initially happy and upbeat in ARQ nightclub in Darlinghurst near Sydney’s Oxford Street gay strip.
But then Mr Atkins and Matthew appeared to have a fight and when Matthew’s brother Peter saw him, Matthew said “I don’t want to talk”.
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...y/news-story/03dc47949ad95d8c930ce4ad2c654869


Maybe I'm getting confused ( a timeline sorely needed I think Bohemian!), but was Matthew's brother out at the same nightclub as Matthew & Atkins were the night Matthew disappeared?

 

[Bohemian]

A man who was 21 when he met the couple three months before Matthew’s disappearance said Mr Atkins sometimes used his lover to procure younger guys for group sex.
In August 2007, after taking GHB from a cup, he watched Mr Atkins have sex in the Cronulla unit and then had sex with Mr Atkins himself.
He wanted to have sex with Matthew but felt Mr Atkins would become jealous. Mr Atkins told him, “If I wasn’t with Matt, I’d be with you.”
The man remembers Matthew, on the last night of his life, initially happy and upbeat in ARQ nightclub in Darlinghurst near Sydney’s Oxford Street gay strip.
But then Mr Atkins and Matthew appeared to have a fight and when Matthew’s brother Peter saw him, Matthew said “I don’t want to talk”.
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...y/news-story/03dc47949ad95d8c930ce4ad2c654869


Maybe I'm getting confused ( a timeline sorely needed I think Bohemian!), but was Matthew's brother out at the same nightclub as Matthew & Atkins were the night Matthew disappeared?

It reads like he was.

As for a timeline, leave it with me and I'll try to find the time to create a WS' blog post over the next couple of days. Then I can edit it as we progress.