Theo Hayez's bizarre Google search moments before his disappearance is revealed - as backpacker who had 20 MINUTE chat with him at a bar insists that the missing Belgian teen WASN'T drunk
- Missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez made a bizarre Google search in bar
- During conversation on European politics, he looked up tiny NSW town of Coraki
- Nobody knows why and the Dutch backpacker he was talking to can't explain it
- Mystery was revealed on day three of the inquest into his 2019 disappearance
Missing Belgian teenager Theo Hayez made a bizarre Google search just minutes before he was kicked out of a Byron Bay nightclub for appearing drunk.
Video shown on day three of the inquest into his disappearance revealed him sitting in a bar booth in deep conversation with Dutch backpacker, Sander Stadegaard.
But Google search data on his phone reveals that during the chat, he looked up information on a tiny little-known town an hour away from Byron called Coraki.
And no-one seems to know why.
Theo, 18, disappeared on the night of May 31, 2019, after he was kicked out of Cheeky Monkey's bar in the northern NSW beach town for appearing drunk.
Missing Belgian teenager Theo Hayez (pictured with his aunt, Johanna De Villers) made a bizarre Google search just minutes before he was kicked out of a Byron Bay bar for appearing drunk
Video shown on day three of the inquest into his disappearance revealed Theo Hayez sitting in a bar booth in deep conversation with Dutch backpacker, Sander Stadegaard (pictured)
But instead of walking back to his hostel, he went off in the opposite direction across town, taking a treacherous dark track to a remote beach. He was never seen again.
On Wednesday, David Evenden, the lawyer for Theo's family at the inquest, quizzed Mr Stadegaard on events in the bar leading up to the teenager being kicked out.
The Dutchman had only met the Belgian for the first time earlier that night and discussed European politics over beers in the bar while sitting next to each other.
Mr Evenden told the inquest Theo googled Coraki on his phone shortly after he sat down beside Mr Stadegaard - but the backpacker said he had no idea why.
'It's a small village about an hour's drive south of Byron Bay,' said the lawyer. 'It's inland. It's on a river. There's about 1200 people that live there.
Google search data on his phone reveals Theo Hayez (pictured) looked up information on a tiny little-known town an hour away from Byron called Coraki
Above, the Coraki hotel - one of the main venues in the small town near Byron Bay
'And it's not a touristy place at all. But it appears that he did the search shortly after he sat down next to you in the booth.'
Mr Stadegaard insisted he had no knowledge of the town or any memory of looking at maps on Theo's phone.
He said he spent about 20 minutes talking to Theo in the bar before deciding to move on to a different bar, as he was disappointed by Cheeky Monkey's.
Sander Stadegaard said he spent about 20 minutes talking to Theo in the bar before deciding to move on to a different bar, as he was disappointed by Cheeky Monkey's (pictured)
Sander Stadegaard (pictured) said Theo at no stage looked or sounded drunk, and only had one beer with him while he was there
'I had an expectation of going out in Byron Bay - a lot of cool places, a lot of live music...and Cheeky Monkey's was nothing of this,' he said via videolink.
'It was quite a disappointment. It was my only night in Byron Bay - I had to move on.'
But he said Theo at no stage looked or sounded drunk, and only had one beer with him while he was there. He said there was no suggestion of any drinking games.
German backpacker Annika Wachter had taken a shuttle bus with a group of travellers including Theo from the Wake Up! hostel to Cheeky Monkey's that night.
Ms Wachter, from Dossenheim near Heidelberg, told the court she had not seen Theo stumble as he entered the bar or take part in drinking games.
'Everyone was happy and they were enjoying the dancing and it wasn't really wild,' she said via videolink.
'We all had two or three drinks. I was a bit tipsy but not totally drunk.'
Theo Hayez (pictured) was last seen alive on CCTV walking away from the bar, before heading off in the wrong direction to his likely death
Police rescue workers are seen during the search for Theo in Cape Byron
Ms Wachter had not seen Theo asked to leave and had not heard about his disappearance until some days later when she arrived in Sydney.
Theo's family - who have flown in from Belgium for the inquest - have questioned the NSW laws which caused their son to be thrown out the bar by security simply on suspicion of being drunk without even being able to tell his friends he had to leave.
He was last seen alive on CCTV walking away from the bar, before heading off in the wrong direction to his likely death.
The inquest before State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan was adjourned until Thursday.
