Photos, names of children allegedly found in cell of serial SA paedophile Mark Trevor Marshall
A NOTORIOUS paedophile has allegedly been caught with names and photos of children — and maps of suburbs — just weeks before a hearing about his potential release.
PEDOPHILE Mark Trevor Marshall has allegedly been caught with names and photos of children — and maps of suburbs — in his cell just weeks before a hearing about his potential release.
SA Police are investigating the source and nature of items allegedly discovered in the prison cell occupied by Marshall.
The Advertiser understands the material allegedly found in Marshall’s cell includes clippings from magazines featuring photographs of children.
It is further understood maps of suburbs were allegedly found in Marshall’s cell, along with other clippings listing the names and ages of children.
Marshall, 44, is due to face court again on April 1 as part of his continuing application to be released from custody.
Since 2011, the court has been considering the licence conditions under which Marshall can be released.
He has a history of sex offending dating back to June 1987 and has been jailed since 2009, when he was declared unwilling to control his urges.
DAVID PENBERTHY: Marshall should stay behind bars
In 2011 the Supreme Court ordered he be released on licence but the Parole Board objected, saying 34 proposed residences were too close to schools and childcare centres.
In February last year, the court heard a taxpayer-funded team of eight public servants was working to find a safe home for Marshall.
In August, The Advertiser reported police concerns that Marshall had a “consistent” and “disturbing” lack of insight into his prior offending and the danger he poses.
That story was published after Office of the Director of Public Prosecutors requested it be deleted from The Advertiser’s website, wrongly claiming the concerns had been raised in a closed-court hearing.
In November, Marshall’s two psychiatrists warned a poor public reaction to his release could cause him to regress to the same “vulnerable” state that had preceded his prior offending.
They said the potential risk Marshall posed to the community was “acceptable” and “as good as it’s going to get”, and warned his release must happen “now or never”.
In December, the court heard legislative changes had made public safety the most important factor in determining whether Marshall should be released.
A month later, lawyers for Commissioner for Victims’ Rights Michael O’Connell said that, if released, Marshall’s address should be made public to enhance public safety.
Attorney-General John Rau subsequently announced he would personally intervene in the case in support of the changed law, and the legal test that must be applied to define community safety.
Last month, the court heard the result of the State Election may affect whether that intervention went ahead.
However, Opposition Legal Affairs spokesman Stephen Wade told The Advertiser a Liberal Government would instruct solicitors “to appear in court in support of community safety”.
A Department for Correctional Services spokesman confirmed “an incident had occurred” involving Marshall, but could not give details due to privacy laws, or reveal when the search occurred.
The spokesman also confirmed the matter was “now the subject of a police investigation”.
An SA Police spokeswoman said detectives were working with correctional services staff to investigate the matter