Jean Eric Gassy launches appeal over sentence for killing Margaret Tobin in 2002

The convicted murderer serving life for the cold blooded assassination of a leading health care official is appealing his sentence – 13 years out of the statutory time window to do so.

A convicted murderer who carried out the cold blooded slaying of a leading health official is appealing his 30 year non-parole period and claims that prison officers have been “trying to kill him” since his first day in prison.

Jean Eric Gassy, was jailed for life for the assassination of Dr Margaret Tobin as she exited an elevator on the eight-floor of the Citi Centre Building on October 14, 2002.

On Monday, Gassy told Court of Appeal President Mark Livesey that he was appealing in part because a medical condition had allegedly not been treated properly while he was in prison.

He also claimed that “attempts have been made to kill me from the early days of my incarceration”.

Gassy, a former psychiatrist who was deregistered in New South Wales in the 1990s, is conducting his own appeal from his prison cell without a lawyer.

He blamed Dr Tobin for his deregistration and travelled to Adelaide with the express purpose of killing her.

Among the grounds of his appeals are claims that he was “subjected to extreme acts of provocation” and “subjected to acts of revenge”.

But he faces a number of legal hurdles before his appeal will even be heard in the Supreme Court.

Murderer Jean Eric Gassy at Sydney Airport under police escort being extradited to SA in 2002 following the shooting of Dr Margaret Tobin.

A prosecutor told the President Livesey that Gassy’s appeal was 13 years out of the statutory time window for applications.

Gassy also has to convince the Court to grant him permission to appeal.

“It is a tall order to obtain an extension of time and permission to appeal so far out of time,” President Livesey said.

Gassy asked the court to order the release of various documents to him for use in the appeal.

Among the documents were the transcript of the initial murder trial against him and a subsequent rehearing after Gassy had an appeal upheld.

He also asked for copies of his own diaries from decades behind bars which he said would show his interactions with doctors when he complained about various illnesses.

Murderer Jean Eric Gassy being escorted into the Adelaide Magistrates Court in 2002 following the shooting of Dr Margaret Tobin.

Finally, Gassy asked for a photographer to be allowed into the prison in which he is housed to take photos which would prove his medical condition was not being treated.

President Livesey asked Gassy about the relevance of documents and claims of what occurred after he was sentenced to life.

“Right from the very early days of my incarceration, the jail and the prison were both involved in attempts to kill me,” Gassy replied.

With his current non-parole period Gassy will be eligible for release in 2032.

Gassy’s application for permission to appeal hearing is scheduled to be heard in May this year.