Another 45 high-risk criminals deported from SA

ANOTHER 45 convicted criminals living in SA — including a killer, child sex offenders and drug dealers — have been kicked out after being deemed to be of bad character.

Nigel Hunt

less than 2 min read

July 26, 2018 - 10:00PM

ANOTHER 45 convicted criminals living in South Australia have been given marching orders after their visas were cancelled because they were deemed to be of bad character.

The 45 visa cancellations last financial year included those of seven child sex offenders, nine drug dealers and one murderer.

Another 15 criminals convicted of serious assaults and other violent offences were also stripped of their visas.

Significantly, two domestic violence offenders in SA also had their visas cancelled and either have or will be deported.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the Government made no apology for acting against non-Australians who commit serious crime in our communities.

“They forfeit their ability to live in this great country once they break our laws and commit violent or other serious crimes,” Mr Dutton said.

In March this year, The Advertiser revealed teenage killer Amanda Denise Pemberton, who served almost 22 years in prison in connection with one of the state’s most brutal and callous murders, had been deported.

A court sketch of the youths convicted of murdering Tracy Muzyk — Lyle Bascombe with Amanda Pemberton, Tara Kehoe, Matthew Austin and Ian McKenzie.

Pemberton, who admitted to beating an 18-year-old friend with a star dropper, was deported to New Zealand when she was released from prison on parole.

Pemberton, now 39, was one of five people convicted of the bashing murder of Tracy Muzyk, in December 1996.

When details of the murder were revealed in the Supreme Court, the public was shocked at the extent and the cruelty of the extended attack on Ms Muzyk.

In sentencing, Justice Kevin Duggan said he could not fathom how a group of teenagers could commit such a “senseless’’ killing.

Over the past two years, the Federal Government has used the visa cancellation strategy to crack down on bikies in Australia, with dozens deported using the bad character provisions of the legislation.

Leonard Gjeka was deported in 2014.

Vince Focarelli was deported last year.

Among them was high-profile criminal and failed gang leader Vince Focarelli who was served with a notice to cancel his visa in March last year, but fled Australia before it was revoked.

Adelaide underworld figure Leonard Gjeka was deported to his native Albania in late 2014 and Richmond AFL footballer Dustin Martin’s father had links to bikie gangs and was deported to New Zealand in early 2016.

Nationally, 907 visas were cancelled the last financial year — most in New South Wales (314) — followed by Queensland with 220.

There were 167 cancellations in Victoria, 145 in Western Australia, 10 in the Northern Territory, five in the ACT and one in Tasmania.