Central Coast child killer SLD accused of approaching women, kids at beach was fixated on finding a girlfriend, court told

A court has heard the man, who can only be known as SLD, repeatedly told a psychologist that sex was a “human right” and he wanted to lose his virginity.

Courtney Morley-Clarke (main picture) was snatched from her bed and stabbed to death in 2001 by a 13-year-old boy, who can only be known as SLD. Her body was later found by searchers (left) in a ditch near her Central Coast home. SLD.

A depraved child killer accused of approaching mums and their children on a Wollongong beach just weeks after finishing a 20-year jail sentence was fixated on finding a girlfriend so he could lose his virginity, a court has heard.

The man, who can only be known as SLD by court order, was just 13 when he kidnapped three-year-old Courtney Morley-Clarke from her bed on the Central Coast in 2001 and stabbed her to death.

He was released from jail last August on a five-year extended supervision order, designed to monitor his every movement and social interaction.

SLD was returned to custody just two months later after approaching three women and their young children at Bulli Beach, allegedly in violation of an ESO condition banning him from associating with children.

Detectives arresting SLD, then aged 13, over the murder of three-year-old Courtney Morley-Clarke on the Central Coast.

According to documents tendered to the NSW Supreme Court during SLD’s unsuccessful application for bail earlier this month, he claimed he had done nothing wrong when confronted by an off-duty Community Corrections officer at the time.

The court heard SLD’s minder for the day, a rookie disability support worker just two weeks into the job, said the 36-year-old was “trying to get a girlfriend” and regularly approached women and kids when out in the community.

According to a report tendered during the bail proceedings, SLD repeatedly told a psychologist his plans to lose his virginity after two decades behind bars were being thwarted by authorities because he was not allowed to use dating apps or websites to meet women.

“He claimed having sex was a human right and Corrective Services NSW are abusing his rights,” the psychologist wrote.

Police searching for Courtney’s body in 2001.

When sentencing SLD in 2002 for the murder of Courtney (pictured), a judge described the crime as ‘savage’ and “exceedingly disturbing”.

Alarmingly, the report went on to detail SLD’s “sadistic” attitude towards women, including displaying highly violent sexual fantasies, previous attempts at rape and having an unhinged desire to only date 16-year-old girls.

The court heard while previously in custody, SLD sent his then-treating psychologist a letter in which he threatened to kidnap, torture, rape and kill the person’s family if his upcoming parole was not granted.

According to police, the deeply disturbing letter described SLD’s depraved plans for the family in “great detail”.

The court also heard SLD admitted to other troubling behaviour that occurred before he entered custody at 13, including killing animals, up skirting females, violence towards teachers and peers and setting his school on fire.

His jail record reveals he assaulted multiple correctional staff and fellow inmates over the years.

In one incident, SLD stabbed a prison guard in the neck with a pen, while on another occasion he slashed a different officer on the hand as he was being passed his evening meal in a segregation cell.

In court last week, Justice Michael Walton refused SLD’s bail application, finding he had not shown cause why his ongoing detention was not justified.

SLD, who is yet to enter a plea to three charges of failing to comply with an extended supervision order, will return to court in April.

Originally published as Central Coast child killer SLD accused of approaching women, kids at beach was fixated on finding a girlfriend, court told