By Jessica McSweeney
Australia’s youngest killer has been arrested less than a month after being released from prison, police alleging he possessed child abuse material.
The man, known as SLD, who can’t be identified for legal reasons, was convicted of killing three-year-old Courtney Morley-Clarke on the Central Coast in 2001 when he was just 13.
SLD’s victim Courtney Morley-Clarke was three years old.
SLD was released from prison in March after serving 22 years in custody for the murder and another 13 months for breaching his supervision orders upon release.
The 38-year-old was arrested in Campbelltown at 4.55pm on Wednesday and charged with multiple counts of breaching his supervision orders and one count of possessing child abuse material.
He faced Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday and was refused bail.
SLD told police his motivation for killing Courtney was that he wanted her brother’s computer games. He cut through his neighbour’s screen door and found her sleeping in her bed in the early hours of the morning.
SLD was released from prison in March after a judge rejected the NSW Government’s bid to keep him behind bars. Credit: Nine News
He stabbed her through the heart, holding his hand over her mouth to muffle her screaming, the court found. Her body was discovered in long grass nearby.
SLD was released from custody on an extended supervision order in 2023, but a month later was back in handcuffs after approaching three women who were with their young children on Bulli Beach.
According to evidence given in the Supreme Court, SLD approached a woman who was dressing her son at an outdoor shower during that incident. An off-duty prison officer witnessed the exchange and alerted police.
A white lily lies in the long grass after the murder of Courtney Morley-Clarke at the hands of her neighbour, known as SLD.Credit: Fairfax Media
After SLD served 13 months for the breaches, the NSW government tried to keep him behind bars for another year, but the Supreme Court refused the application.
SLD will face Campbelltown Local Court again on April 24.
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