Murderous rapist Jonathan Bakewell makes new bid for parole

A murderous rapist who has repeatedly breached his parole will make yet another bid for freedom – and it will be heard in the same week as the 34th anniversary of his crime.

A murderous rapist who has breached his parole four times has asked the state’s highest court to set a timetable for him to be released again, just three months after his last arrest.

Jonathan Bakewell’s latest bid for supervised release from prison will be heard on February 28 – just five days after the 34th anniversary of the night he killed Anne-Marie Culleton.

Bakewell’s application, and its timing, have dismayed Ms Culleton’s sister Eileen, who has fought since 2019 to have the murderer’s parole cancelled permanently.

On Monday, she said she knew nothing of his renewed bid until called for comment by journalists – having been given no warning by prosecutors.

Jonathan Bakewell upon his arrest in 1988.

“I had no forewarning about this, not from anyone, and I had no idea Bakewell had applied again or that the case was coming to court,” she said.

“I will fight this … I will be asking to make submissions to the court.”

Bakewell was under the influence of cannabis when, in 1988, he broke into the flat of Ms Culleton, raped her and then murdered her.

He was sentenced to life and served 28 years before his release in 2016.

In the years since, he has been released four times, rearrested six times and found to have breached his parole four times, all by using cannabis.

Bakewell’s parole was finally cancelled in October 2021, following his sixth arrest.

Anne-Marie Culleton was raped and murdered in 1988. Picture: Supplied by the Culleton family.

Ms Culleton’s sister, Eileen.

On Monday, Greg Mead SC, for Bakewell, told the Supreme Court his client wanted “a new non-parole period fixed”.

“I’m proposing that there be a brief adjournment … I want to prepare, basically, as much material for the court as I can ahead of this decision,” he said.

Justice Laura Stein agreed, remanding Bakewell in custody.

Speaking from her home interstate, Eileen Culleton said Bakewell’s request should be refused.

“Bakewell is a life sentence prisoner who has repeatedly breached his parole … he doesn’t deserve to get another chance,” she said.

“The judiciary needs to consider the community’s expectations that rapist murderers will stay behind bars for life.”