Not Quite the Help She Was After:
Nick and Grace Wellington and their four-year-old daughter just moved into a new neighbourhood in Adelaide’s Eastern suburbs. Grace used to be a Real Estate Agent, but left work after Kathy was born so that she could become a full-time mother, while the couple moved to allow for Nick to take on a new position as a Sous Chef at at up and coming restaurant in Adelaide’s CBD.
While Grace revelled in Kathy’s company as she grew up, she longed for an opportunity to do something with her time; something that she and Kathy could do together perhaps, but something, nonetheless, that would occupy her mind. After spending months on end, looking for homebound activities or things to do with her young daughter while they were in Melbourne, Grace started to lose hope as everything she’d found had generally sounded rather grim or uninspiring.
The idea of getting a part-time nanny had always seemed interesting to her; it would give her the space she needed to gather her thoughts and focus more on perhaps rekindling her career or perhaps allowing her to set foot on another path. With their move to Adelaide being just around the corner, the dates of which were always a little iffy, Grace told herself that she’d wait until they’d settled again before restarting her search for help.
Within the first few days of the couple moving into their home, their two immediate neighbours had stopped by to welcome the new family to the area; bringing with them a few gifts to break the ice. The advances for friendship were welcomed and Grace made a divine effort to show her appreciation, in the hope that she’d be able to find new companions in the other couples. Her relationship with Nick was “perfect,” and she was very happy with what they had – while she loved him deeply, she craved space of her own.
Just a week later, while Grace was at home with Kathy, they received a knock on the door from Will Malee, a young-man and relatively new addition to the neighbourhood himself. Will was estimated to be in his mid-twenties, and voiced his interest in being able to help his fellow neighbours with any community-based services he could, for free. He was studying Anthropology at the time and told Grace that if ever she needed any assistance with anything at all, she should call him, going on to explain that everything he would be doing would be noted in his personal records for use in his upcoming dissertation.
That evening, when Nick returned from work, Grace told him all about Will and asked whether he thought it would be suitable to ask Will to help with Kathy, considering his help was free. Grace explained, again, that she’d really appreciate some time to herself, even if it was just a few hours a week, so that she could try to rebuild her life a little. The two discussed it over the course of the evening, and Nick agreed to give Will a chance; although he was dubious as to why the work was free, irrespective of Grace’s explanation that Will would be using his work to fuel information for his studies.
The next morning, Nick asked that Grace hold-off on inviting Will to help, going on to say that he’d personally help her to find a proper nanny or long-term babysitter over the weekend, just a few days away. However, just an hour or two after Nick left, there was a knock at the door – Grace ran to answer and found Will standing there with a small bouquet.
He asked whether Nick was home, so that they could be formerly introduced, but after being told that he was at work, he asked Grace if she’d had time to think over his proposition, to which she responded that Nick had already found someone to help. As their conversation continued, Kathy also came to the door to see what all the chatter was about. Will immediately dropped to one knee and began conversing with her in a “cute” and “comforting” manner, Grace says. Apparently he seemed to have a way with children after he’d spent a few months working in a care home for children with mental illness the year before.
Taken by his charm and his way with Kathy, Grace invited Will in for coffee, in a hope to find out more about him. As the two made conversation at the kitchen table, Grace recalls that he often broke away from their talks to engage with Kathy who tried to show off her toys, movies and shoes as they spoke. Grace liked it and she felt that Will and Kathy got on really well, despite knowing each other for such a short time. Kathy invited him to help her set up a movie and it was at that point that Will turned to Grace and asked whether she would like him to stay; he had a few hours spare and could look after Kathy while she tended to other matters, if need be. Grace, overcome by the situation, accepted his offer and immediately went about searching the web, with her earphones in – something she hadn’t done in a long time – and tried to find some local activities she could start getting involved in.
When Nick got home, Grace couldn’t hold in her joy and went on to explain everything that had happened… but instead of hearing what Grace had tried to depict as something really wonderful, Nick heard a long list of tell-tale signs that might mean Will was up to something. In his mind, why would a young man be so persistent in try to provide help and free-time to a family he’d never met before. He faked mild excitement to avoid confrontation with her, but asked whether she’d noticed him taking any notes as he spent time with Kathy. She answered that as he was leaving, he remarked that Kathy had given him some inspiration for a section of his paper and that spending more time with her would really help him put everything together.
Later on that night, after everyone was asleep, Nick crept out of bed and ran a Google search for some light on the topic and came across a number of articles that suggested he run a background check. And so, his next search led to Precise Investigation. He called us immediately and asked us to run a background check on Mr. Malee for him, providing us with his full name, address and phone number.
Within 12 hours, our dedicated support team had come back with the information Nick needed… and Grace would be mortified.
William Malee was a fabricated name, perhaps made up after he was involved in a child sex-abuse case five years prior. The case went to trial but Mr William Hutchinson, his real name, was found innocent based on a lack of evidence. The mobile phone number that Will had provided Nick and Grace with was still registered to his real name, as was the property he was staying in, just across the street.
When Nick heard the news, he immediately phoned Grace and asked if Will was there, to which she answered that he’d just left after spending a few hours with them. Nick cut the conversation short, saying that he had something very important and troubling to share with her when he got home.
As such, four hours later, Nick arrived and shared his findings about Will with Grace, along with showing her the documents holding his real name and details of the case he’d previously been involved in.
Needless to say, Grace subsequently refused Will’s services and Nick delivered on his promises to find her a trustworthy babysitter that could help her when need be.
It’s with cases like this in mind that we stress the importance on never taking a person, with whom you’re hoping to invest a great deal of trust, on face value. Whether you’re looking for help at home or you’re hoping to recruit your next accountant; if that person is going to be handling important information or the lives of the people you care for, then it’s imperative that you know who that person really is.
With that, if you’d ever like to have a professional, discrete and cost-effective background check carried out for you, just:
Call Precise Investigation today on 1300 856 011 for a discrete, professional private investigation service.
To find out more about our professional, tailor-made background checks, please click here.
Wherever you’re based in Australia, Precise Investigation can help. Our dedicated support team work nationwide and, with offices and operatives stationed in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and even the more remote areas of the country, we’re always here to help. Get in touch with us today and see how quickly Precise Investigation can get the answers you’re after, no matter how trivial or serious your particular case may be.
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Please note: All names, address and characteristics of those described in this article have been changed to protect those involved.
