The extraordinary lengths police went to in an effort to find Matthew Leveson’s body in the Royal National Park have been revealed on the first day of an inquest into his death.
His former lover Michael Atkins was hypnotised, drew a diagram and even drove Mr Leveson’s car for several days in an effort to remember where he buried his body in 2007.
Atkins, 44, last year admitted to dumping his former boyfriend’s body, but only after being offered an immunity deal in return for details that led to Leveson’s body being found.
But the Glebe Coroners Court heard on Wednesday that after taking the plea deal he led police to an area where the body was not found – leading Atkins to be taken back to the site and re-enact how he remembered disposing of his body.
Michael Atkins (left) was hypnotised, drew a diagram and re-enacted dumping the body of Matthew Leveson (right), his former lover whose body he admitted to dumping in 2007
After a decade of heartache for his parents Mark and Faye (left), Mr Leveson’s body was discovered in the Royal National Park in Sydney’s south in May this year
NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin said Atkins went with police into the Royal National Park site in Sydney’s south in 2016.
There he was asked to show where he thought he parked a car before disposing of Mr Leveson’s body.
Atkins described the hole he dug for Mr Leveson as two-metres long, one-metre wide and 800 millimetres deep, Det Chief Insp Jubelin told the inquest.
However, when they initially failed to find any remains, police suggested alternative nearby sites to Atkins and had him try hypnosis.
They got Atkins to carry a 70-kilogram mannequin from a car boot, at which point he agreed it was unlikely he carried Mr Leveson’s body as he initially suggested.
In another attempt to jog Atkins’ memory, police had him drive Mr Leveson’s car for several days after it was provided by his parents, Mark and Faye Leveson.
Atkins and Mr Leveson had been on a night out to Arq Nightclub in Darlinghurst, Sydney, on the night the 20-year-old died
Atkins was still confident about the initial search site, and Det Chief Insp Jubelin said it was there on May 31 this year where police found the 20-year-old’s remains.
They were in a position consistent with Atkins’ diagram, he said.
Atkins co-operated with police after being offered immunity from perjury and contempt of court charges.
Det Chief Insp Jubelin on Wednesday said Atkins couldn’t be prosecuted on the statement he gave to police about the location of Mr Leveson’s body.
The inquest continues.