Alleged bicycle bandit Kym Allen Parsons granted permission for SA’s Voluntary Assisted Dying program ahead of robbery trial

The alleged bicycle bandit’s expedited trial may not happen at all – because SA Health has given the terminally ill accused man a voluntary assisted dying kit.

Alleged bicycle bandit armed robber and terminal cancer patient Kym Allen Parsons has been approved for voluntary assisted dying and has the means to end his life, eight months before his trial.

The Advertiser can reveal Mr Parsons, who has denied responsibility for the infamous 2000s bank robbery spree, is in possession of his VAD kit and has approval to make use of it.

An anonymous source who has insight into Mr Parsons’ circumstances said he felt “disgusted” that individuals facing charges were granted voluntary assisted dying packages before a trial”.

“What I am wanting to know from lawmakers and politicians is: Should this be allowed for (a person facing charges) before there is a trial?” he said.

Alleged bicycle bandit Kym Allen Parsons outside the Supreme Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

The source said he did not object to VAD but did not believe that Mr Parsons should be granted the right to take his life before his trial had concluded.

“I think if he uses the VAD it won’t be fair … where is the justice?” he said.

It is understood the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which successfully applied to have Mr Parson’s trial expedited, is aware of the situation.

Mr Parsons is next due to face the Supreme Court in July for a closed court directions hearing – his trial will be held in February.

Mr Parsons upon his release, from the Adelaide Remand Centre, on bail.

Mr Parsons has pleaded not guilty to 11 offences including aggravated counts of armed robbery.

He is currently remanded on strict home detention bail, and is under the supervision of the Department for Correctional Services.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Department said it could not comment on the matter due to privacy laws, and referred all inquiries to SA Health.

An SA Health spokeswoman said the department did “not comment on individual applications made for a VAD permit to protect patient confidentiality”.

“Anyone who takes part in the VAD pathway can withdraw at any stage of the process,” she said.

“Legislated eligibility criteria must be met to access the program, including having an advanced terminal illness.”

The court has previously heard Mr Parsons has terminal cancer. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Mr Parsons, 73, has pleaded not guilty to 10 aggravated counts of armed robbery and one aggravated count of attempted armed robbery.

He also pleaded not guilty to one count each of possessing an unregistered and unlicensed firearm.

Prosecutors have alleged he was the Bicycle Bandit who stole more than $250,000 from 11 banks over a 10-year period, to which he is linked by DNA.

Mr Parsons was released on bail after a court heard he was terminally ill and had lost 7kg in custody – despite enjoying “the best chocolate sponge cake he had ever eaten”.

After prosecutors seized his assets, he claimed he needed taxpayer-supported Legal Aid funding before his case could progress.

In April, however, they abandoned their bid to have his trial postponed, leading to the setting of the February 2025 trial date.

Voluntary assisted dying became legal in SA in January 2023 and, since then, have aided more than 100 terminally ill people and their families.

Among those people was Lily Thai, 23, who had been debilitated by illness and pain for most of her life.

The laws were also used by convicted pedophile Malcolm Winston Day, who ended his life just days after being accepted into the program.

Day’s death drew criticism from one of his victims, known as “Ann”, who said it gave him power over his own life “despite having taken that agency from his victims”.