FAMILY and friends gathered in a tiny chapel to farewell Wollongong man Mathew Digby yesterday, while outside the swirl of controversy surrounding his death continued.
The 35-year-old was found dead in a burnt-out vehicle at Mount Murray near Macquarie Pass more than a week ago, launching police on what has become a full-scale murder investigation.
It has since been revealed Mr Digby, described as a much loved man who adored children, was a prison informer in the murder trial of a man accused of bashing a convicted paedophile to death.
With his killer still on the loose, two detectives were among the more than 150 mourners at his funeral at Woronora Crematorium, Sutherland.
Mr Digby’s casket was covered in a bouquet of purple, pink and white flowers, his loved ones and friends filling the chapel and spilling outside.
Minister Phillip Grace said Mr Digby, known as Matty, was “killed some days ago... Taken so tragically, too quickly”.
He described Mr Digby as being a person who did things his way and who “walked to the beat of a different drum”.
“Even as a boy he was somewhat of a rascal,” he said.
“As a result of his life and what he became involved in, certainly he knew many ups and downs.”
Mr Digby was also a kind person who could be very helpful to people in need, and was especially known for his love of and care for children.
“He was very good with children and was always prepared to find time to give to them,” Mr Grace said.
Family friend and godfather Rick Raper provided the eulogy, reflecting on weekend trips and other precious holidays spent together.
“There are certain things that I will always remember about Matty,” he said.
“The first thing was his good looks... his blonde surfer hair, his brown skin... and he had the biggest, most illuminating and most mischievous grin.
“Secondly, was the caring attitude he displayed towards those around him. If you showed him love, he returned it in spades.”
Mr Digby was serving a sentence for motor vehicle theft at Junee Correctional Centre when he claimed to have witnessed the murder of convicted paedophile John Thomas Kennett on September 17, 1998.
A month earlier, Kennett, a former school teacher from Orange, was jailed for at least eight years for sex offences against 12 boys.
It was alleged that Kennett was outed as a “rock spider” (paedophile) in jail and was subsequently bashed by fellow inmates Harry Robinson and Mark Brazel.
Kennett was later found dead in his cell with head injuries
Robinson was convicted of the murder in 2004 and sentenced to a maximum 22 years’ jail but the decision was quashed by the NSW Supreme Court in June 2006 on the grounds it would be dangerous to make a conviction on the evidence of a prison informer.
Brazel was never charged with the murder and was released on December 19.
On Friday, more than 30 police officers were involved in a search of Murphys Avenue at Gwynneville and Keiraville in North Wollongong in relation to the investigation following a tip-off from the public.
Mr Digby’s green Ford Falcon was found in the street.
Detectives are continuing their appeal for information relating to the movements of the blue 1990s model Mazda 626 before the fire last Monday.
If anyone was near Mount Murray Road or Macquarie Pass between late on Sunday, January 24, and 7am on Monday, January 25, and saw the vehicle or any other suspicious activity, they are asked to contact police.
Email a friend