SA court rejects serial child sex offender paedophile Mark Trevor Marshall’s latest bid for release from prison

SERIAL child sex predator Mark Trevor Marshall is “entirely consumed” with portraying himself as a victim and remains a risk to the community, a court has ruled.

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SERIAL child sex predator Mark Trevor Marshall is “entirely consumed” with portraying himself as a victim and remains a risk to the community, a court has ruled.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court rejected Mark Trevor Marshal’s latest bid for freedom, deeming him either unwilling to, or incapable of, controlling his sexual instincts.

In her judgment, Justice Ann Vanstone said extracts from psychological reports showed Marshall’s mindset posed a great danger to the general public — particularly children.

“(In the reports) Marshall’s conversation overwhelmingly portrayed him as the victim of circumstance and conspiracy,” she said.

Serial paedophile Mark Trevor Marshall in June 2013. Source: Supplied.

“(He presented himself as) a man who has never been sexually attracted to young girls, and yet (displays) attitudes that condone child sex offending.

“His entire presentation was geared toward minimisation of his offending by trying to cast it as insignificant compared to what he had allegedly endured.”

Marshall, 48, has a history of abusing children dating back to 1987 and has spent years behind bars serving an indefinite jail term.

That was imposed because three medical experts had agreed he was “incapable of, or unwilling to, control” his “sexual instincts”.

When Marshall first sought release, in 2011, The Advertiser revealed prison authorities had found photographs and names of children, as well as maps of suburbs, in his cell.

He tried again in 2014, but authorities found contraband in his cell once again and he subsequently abandoned his application for release.

Marshall renewed his application in 2016, arguing his post-traumatic stress — arising from incidents in his childhood — could not be properly treated in prison.

He then underwent specially “tailored” treatment he hoped would “bolster his rehabilitation” — on Thursday, Justice Vanstone said that it was of little use.

“(The specialist) said that, during the sessions, Marshall tended to quickly dismiss topics (and that) he was unable to establish any rapport with Marshall,” she said.

Justice Vanstone said Marshall continued to make “fantastic assertions” about “extraordinary events” in his past, often involving unsolved murders, which could not be substantiated.

She said his “preoccupation” with those narratives left him unable to empathise with his victims, further increasing his risk of reoffending.

“He appears to be entirely consumed by past events and his attempts to minimise his wrongdoing and paint himself as a victim,” she said.

“There is hope for Marshall ... however, he will have to change his mindset.”

She also banned Marshall from seeking release again any time in the next 18 months.

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