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Beckenridge was ‘living off his credit card’

A detective has told a coroner’s hearing in Christchurch that John Beckenridge was in a dire financial position at the time he went missing with his stepson, Mike.

The 64-year-old and the 11-year-old boy disappeared in March 2015, and the hearing is being held to work out if they are missing or dead.

Detective Jeremy Dix told the court Beckenridge was desperately short of money in early March 2015.

‘‘He had no money to access, and appeared to be living off his credit card,’’ Dix said.

He said Beckenridge’s financial situation was rocky over the years, but in the few months leading up to his disappearance he withdrew money at an abnormally high rate.

He used his eftpos card for the last time a week before he went missing, Dix said. He withdrew $900, and was then declined trying to take out $1000.

And Beckenridge was after a lot more money. Dix spoke to Beckenridge’s banker. ‘‘He advised that John Beckenridge recently requested a $30,000 loan from BNZ, but that was rejected due to his financial position at the time.’’

He had asked for the loan to fight for custody of Mike.

The pair went missing on March 13, 2015, when Beckenridge broke a court order and picked up Mike from school. His car was later found in the sea at the bottom of a cliff in the Catlins.

Mike’s family were convinced they were alive, living overseas under assumed identities.

In a statement read to the court by coroner Marcus Elliot, Mike’s mother Fiona Lu said she believed Beckenridge had stashed money to leave the country with Mike. ‘‘I believe John had some cash from his Trade Me sales as well as an overseas account.’’

The family’s private investigator, Mark Templeman, said Mike’s family believed the pair escaped on an ocean-going yacht or some kind of transportation.

In the hearing, Templeman questioned Dix about whether a person could leave the country on a yacht undetected. Dix said reporting a yacht’s departure was based on the person contacting Customs themselves.

The hearing continues.

News

en-nz

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281642489554409

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