Father of Slain Gay Son Calls Killer a Coward

The father of a young man allegedly murdered by his gay lover has labelled the man accused of the killing a coward after he refused to appear in view of the family in court today.

Michael Peter Atkins, 45, was arrested yesterday at his unit in the southern Sydney suburb of Cronulla and later charged with murdering 20-year-old Matthew Leveson, who disappeared in September last year.

In a brief hearing at Sutherland Local Court today, Mr Atkins declined to be brought up from the holding cells, disappointing family and friends of Mr Leveson, who were waiting in the public gallery.

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