Missing boy's foster mum's assault conviction tossed

The former foster mother of missing toddler William Tyrrell has overturned a conviction over the intimidation and assault of another child.

The woman, who cannot be legally named, was convicted in March 2024 after magistrate Susan McIntyre found her threats to slap the child amounted to intimidation.

She earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of assault after striking the child with a wooden spoon and kicking them on the thigh.

Her conviction over these incidents was overturned on Friday at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court.

Judge Miiko Kumar found the offences proved but imposed a 12-month conditional release order without conviction.

Five counts of intimidation brought against the foster mother over alleged incidents related to the child were dismissed by Ms McIntyre in March 2024.

In February, William's former foster father had a conviction for intimidating the child tossed out after a successful District Court appeal.

In that decision, Judge Sean Grant found the man did not intend to cause fear of harm when he screamed in frustration while taking the child to school.

William was three years old when he went missing while playing at his foster grandmother's home in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast on September 12, 2014.

No one has ever been charged over his disappearance, although police have aired a theory that his foster mother disposed of his body after his accidental death.

The woman denies having anything to do with William's disappearance.