'Everybody loved him': Dad pays tribute to Forest Row son who went missing in Australia

At an inquest in Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday, July 21, the coroner heard how Hugo Palmer had gone to Australia with friends for a six-month working holiday which was described as a ‘trip of a lifetime’.

The inquest heard how Hugo has been saving up money for the trip by taking up landscaping and delivery jobs before arriving in Melbourne in November 2018.

On February 17, 2019, Hugo, who lived in Freshfield Bank before going to Australia, was last seen with his friend Erwan Ferrieux by Shelly Beach in New South Wales.

Residents had seen items, including towels and car keys, left on the beach overnight before contacting police.

The inquest heard how the pair’s disappearance gained national and international media attention.

It was presumed the pair had drowned at Shelly Beach, the coroner heard.

Detective senior Constable Richard Broomby, who explained that people had drowned on that stretch of the coast in the past, said a search had been conducted in the area to try and locate the pair.

Simon Latter said he found a femur bone later the same month while spear fishing.

He added: “I later messaged a couple of friends of mine who were police officers. I wanted to get advice.”

The man said he took the bone to the police station and was contacted later the same day.

The bone was later identified as Hugo’s through DNA tests.

Hugo’s mother Tania MacNabb described her son as a ‘good boy’ who liked the outdoors and skateboarding.

Father Stuart Palmer added: “He cared deeply for his family and friends.”

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze came to the conclusion of death by misadventure.

He said: “Every parent and every close family member in a situation would rather know for sure what has happened and very sadly I don't think you ever will.”

Mr Craze concluded the inquest by offering his condolences to Hugo’s family.

Following the inquest Mr Palmer spoke to the media about the verdict.

He said: “First of all you get a police report saying your son is missing, and then you go Australia as a parent to try and find him, and then you can’t find him, and you’re dumped with all of his belongings which you then have to get rid of, and then you come back and there is no end to it.

“You don’t know whether to give up hope or to continue to hope. Hopefully now we have clarification of what’s happened and we know that we have had some remains back so I am hoping that this is the end of it for the family.”

Mr Palmer described his son, who was born in Haywards Heath, as a ‘lovely guy’.

He added: “He was very friendly, everybody liked him.

"He was a great part of the skating community, he had many friends. Everybody loved him.

"He was a lovely guy, [he] cared for everyone.”