Convicted paedophile, Frank Abbott lived in this caravan following William’s disappearance.
A man has told an inquest into the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell how a convicted paedophile acquaintance had described “the smell of death” in bushland.
Tradesman, Geoff Owen, had previously worked on outdoor decking at the home where William disappeared from in 2014.
Mr Owen told the Coroners Court about his association with convicted paedophile, Frank Abbott, 79, who is a person of interest in the inquest. Mr Abbott is currently serving a 16-year prison term for unrelated sex crimes.
Mr Abbott lived in Mr Owen’s caravan at Herons Creek.
Council assisting the inquest, Gerard Craddock QC asked Mr Owen about times when he had given Mr Abbott a lift to a nearby bus stop.
“On those occasions in the car, he pointed out an area and said that he’d encountered a really bad smell there?” Mr Craddock put to Mr Owen.
“That’s right, he did say that to me,” said Mr Owen.
“Did he say he could smell death?” Mr Craddock pressed.
“Yes, he did, that was the words he used,” was Mr Owen’s response.
Mr Owen told the court he had “shrugged” off the comment, saying he didn’t think the comment was unusual for Mr Abbott.
Mr Owen said Mr Abbott had come to live at his property following a request for accommodation for him from a local baptist church minister.
He was also asked about his whereabouts on the day William vanished, blaming Parkinson’s Disease for memory loss when unable to categorically state where he was.
The court has also heard about searches around Herons Creek and Logans Crossing, where Mr Abbott has lived since William’s disappearance.
Mr Abbott has denied any role in the little boy’s disappearance.
