Notorious killer Andy Albury loses bid for bespoke prison accommodation

The court heard since the convicted murderer was moved out of sector five, there had been ‘quite a few’ behavioural incidents but they were ‘not as intense as they previously were’.

The court heard Andy Albury would likely remain in the prison’s Complex Behaviour Unit for the foreseeable future.

Notorious killer Andy Albury will not get his own bespoke accommodation facility at Holtze Prison after the department abandoned plans to look into the project, a court has heard.

Albury returned to the Supreme Court on Monday for a periodic review of his ongoing detention after being handed a life sentence without parole for the 1983 murder of Gloria Pindan.

Attorney-General’s Department lawyer Kate Bremner told the court Albury had been housed in the prison’s Complex Behaviour Unit since May, where his “behaviour has largely settled in comparison to when he was housed in sector five”.

“There are still quite a few incidents but they’re not as intense as they previously were,” she said.

“Corrections have determined that a purpose-built accommodation will not be pursued.”

But Ms Bremner said Albury had also been deemed ineligible for funding under the NDIS so Corrections would foot the bill for a “package of support”.

She said the infamous murderer could continue to be “appropriately managed” at the CBU “irrespective of his status” as a serving prisoner while simultaneously the subject of a supervision order under the mental impairment provisions of the Criminal Code.

Albury’s barrister Ambrith Abayasekara said he did not oppose the order being extended for another 12 months but asked for a progress report to be provided in the meantime.

“I fully appreciate that the prison made these decisions about not pursuing any special accommodation (but) it seems to me that really what was put back in June 2023 was ‘This is being investigated, we’re getting costings done for this’,” he said.

“What was being put then was ‘We’re going to do those things and then it’ll be a question of cost’, which is understandable.

“But it seems that nothing’s actually progressed since that time.”

Mr Abayasekara said it had previously been suggested there were “at least 12 other prisoners who would benefit from such purpose-built accommodation”.

“Actually we’re talking about long term, positive improvements for not only Mr Albury but other prisoners with complex behaviours and needs and therefore a better functioning prison,” he said.

“It just seems to me that there hasn’t actually been anything done since June last year in investigating some of those options that could provide great benefit for everyone.”

Mr Abayasekara said the supports being provided by Corrections were “certainly welcome” but asked the court to order the department to provide an update within six months.

“I don’t want to be in the same position in a year’s time where we come back and that hasn’t been progressed at all,” he said.

Originally published as Notorious killer Andy Albury loses bid for bespoke prison accommodation