Benjamin McPartland, jailed for manslaughter of Chloe Valentine, to remain under supervision after jail sentence ends
The State Government is seeking to have the man jailed over the shocking 2012 death of little Chloe Valentine monitored for two years when he is released this week.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man who repeatedly forced a four-year-old girl to ride a motorbike, then ignored her fatal injuries, will remain under supervision when his jail sentence ends this week, after he repeatedly breached parole conditions.
Benjamin Robert McPartland, 35, was jailed in 2014 for the manslaughter of Chloe Valentine, who died in 2012 after she was forced to ride the bike around the backyard of the family home at Ingle Farm.
His head sentence will expire on Wednesday, but Attorney-General Vickie Chapman made an application to place him on an extended supervision order, which would require him to continue to comply with monitoring conditions.
In the Supreme Court on Monday, Louise Kleinig, for Ms Chapman, acknowledged McPartland had been recently assessed at low risk of violent reoffending, and has made some progress in his rehabilitation.
“The unknown in this is, however, will he maintain and build on this progress absent the structure of parole conditions?” she said.
“This uncertainty is demonstrative of risk to the safety of the community.”
McPartland, of Salisbury Downs, had been given a sentencing discount for his early plea to the manslaughter charge.
He and Polkinghorne failed to get help when Chloe became unconscious, and she lay in a “semi-vegetative state” for eight-and-a-half hours before an ambulance was finally called.
When taken to hospital, she was so swollen and bruised that other family members could not recognise her.
The court heard he first became eligible for parole in May 2018, but was not released for another 10 months to allow him time to complete an anti-violence program.
In October 2019, he returned to prison for more than five weeks, after he breached parole by returning a positive drug test.
He was released but later arrested over another breach – being unaccompanied in the presence of a child under 15 – and spent another four months in custody.
However, defence counsel Andy Ey said there was no evidence to suggest he was a danger.
“The material filed simply has not established what, if any, is the appreciable risk if (he) is left unsupervised,” he said.
Justice Sophie David granted an immediate interim order, which will apply until a decision is made about a two-year extended order.
He will be electronically monitored and must refrain from drinking alcohol, taking drugs and having contact with Polkinghorne.
The matter will return to court in June, when another report is expected to be complete.
Motorcyclist involved in serious crash in Adelaide Hills
There’s been a serious crash involving a motorcyclist in the Adelaide Hills this afternoon.
Teens nabbed after wild pursuit in stolen car
Three teenagers have been arrested after an alleged wild pursuit in a stolen car, where they travelled up to speeds of 180km/h.