Richard Stuttle speaks about murdered sister Caroline ahead of Bundaberg memorial service

Ahead of a Bundaberg memorial service for murdered UK backpacker Caroline Stuttle, her brother Richard has spoken about the work to keep her memory alive, keeping other travellers safe and his willingness to face the man who killed his sister.

“I wonder how murdering Caroline has affected his life and what he thinks of Caroline and what he did?”

It’s questions like these Richard Stuttle would ask his sister’s killer if he could.

On April 10 this year, 20 years will have passed since Ian Douglas Previte threw Mr Stuttle’s beloved 19-year-old sister Caroline from the Burnett Traffic Bridge in Bundaberg.

Previte had attempted to rob Ms Stuttle, who had been carrying less than $1 in spare change.

The British teenager was on a gap year in Australia, where she had come to Bundaberg to find farm work before embarking on studies to become a forensic psychologist.

While Ms Stuttle’s life was cut devastatingly short, her killer won his parole bid on On May 8, 2020. Previte would now be 50.

As the Bundaberg community prepares to unveil a plaque in Caroline’s honour, Mr Stuttle, who has spent the year recovering from a case of bacterial meningitis, spoke to the Bundaberg NewsMail from his home in England.

Richard Stuttle addressed UK media ahead of the launch of a documentary about his sister’s murder.

He shared his heartbreak of the past 20 years, his thoughts on the upcoming Bundaberg memorial to his sister, his book, a new documentary, the organisation in his sister’s name and why he would be willing to face Previte.

Two decades may have passed, but Mr Stuttle says his family was locked in a jail of their own, one from which they can never escape.

“It changed our lives completely, none of us will ever get over Caroline’s death no matter how much time passes,” he said.

“All we can do is remember the person she was and work to help other people travel safely in her name.

“It is not just our lives that have changed but also the lives of everyone who knew Caroline.

“I know that people have made the most of the opportunities that have come their way partly due to living for Caroline and knowing that her opportunities for a bright future were taken away.”

Caroline Stuttle was a gifted student and active community member before she was murdered in 2002.

In her school years Caroline had been an A-grade psychology student, loved gymnastics, ballet, tap, horse riding and swimming.

An active Brownie and Girl Guide and later, a volunteer, Ms Stuttle completed her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award during secondary school.

She was talented in art and music and loved to play the Titanic theme song My Heart Will Go On.

Through Caroline’s Rainbow Foundation, Mr Stuttle has worked tirelessly to increase awareness around travel and safety which has expanded in many directions including keeping travellers updated with information on the pandemic.

“The pandemic gave us the time and opportunity to develop our virtual reality project,” Mr Stuttle said.

“There is no other VR (virtual reality) experience with a primary focus on travel safety.

“We have developed an airport scenario and (we are) working now to develop other specific travel scenarios – Australian road trip, weekend escape.

“The idea is that people can have an immersive experience to better understand travel safety in a completely safe environment.”

The foundation has continued working with universities, providing internships for students and study abroad programs.

“No one asked her permission to set up the charity, but we hope she would have been proud of what we have achieved,” Mr Stuttle said.

“We can only hope that we have helped people to travel safely and helped to save lives.

“We feel that Caroline would have thought it was a very worthy use of our time and would have been happy to put her name towards it.

“Ultimately we hope that we have prevented other people going through the same tragedy that we have been through.”

Mr Stuttle, himself an avid traveller, is pictured on a previous visit to Malaga.

Mr Stuttle’s dedication to his sister’s memory and the safety of others has also continued in other forms.

He penned a book detailing Caroline’s life and his family’s grief in the book Chasing Rainbows – the Stolen Future of Caroline Ann Stuttle, which was released in May last year.

Mr Stuttle drew inspiration for writing from the diaries he’d kept during travels in Australia after Caroline’s death, something he’d done so she could live through his experiences.

“Writing the book was a very cathartic process for me,” he said.

“I got to relive a lot of my experiences and deal with emotions that I had locked away years ago.

“I wanted to document what it was like for a family going through grief. Also, importantly what is was really like to go travelling (including day to day diaries from my travels). The heartache I felt sitting through a murder trial and how to deal with unbearable situations.

“Of course, another important part was to share some of the charity’s milestones and share awareness strategies about how people can stay safe when travelling.”

An episode of UK program The Real Death in Paradise titled Murder in Australia focuses on Ms Stuttle’s murder.

“We decided to do the documentary to tell Caroline’s story to our next generation of travellers,” Mr Stuttle said.

“Not everyone will remember Caroline’s story and we felt it was an important story and hopefully will help people consider the risks when travelling.

“The team who produced the documentary were amazing and it came over in a very heartfelt and respectful way.”

Ms Stuttle is also being remembered in Bundaberg, where a ceremony will take place at Christ Church and a revitalised memorial to Caroline unveiled in Buss Park.

A UK delegation will attend and Mr Stuttle, who is still recovering from his illness, will watch a livestream of the ceremony.

“Our whole family feel it’s wonderful that Bundaberg are creating a new memorial, very touching that Caroline still means so much to the community 20 years on,” Mr Stuttle said.

“We feel a lot of emotion around the memorial and the service and I certainly hope to get back to Australia to see the memorial in person.”

Ian Douglas Previte pictured after being found guilty of Caroline Stuttle’s murder in 2004.

Mr Stuttle said he would be willing to sit down with the man who killed his sister, but he would never forgive him.

“When he was released I felt something that I never expected – we had all served a life sentence too,” he said.

“Ours was not locked in a physical cell, but we had created a prison for our minds, our emotions and in many ways unable to continue so freely in the rest of our lives.

“I would sit down with him. I wonder how murdering Caroline has affected his life and what he thinks of Caroline and what he did. Not just locked in a cell but his mental state, how it changed him and his outlook on life.”

Mr Stuttle said Caroline’s legacy had a lasting impact on many who heard her story.

“For many people I have spoken to over the years, Caroline’s murder, although completely devastating, has given a positive influence on their lives,” he said.

“What I mean is living each day to the full and having the confidence to strive for things that might not have done otherwise.”

Mr Stuttle said Previte would ultimately have to face God.

“There is always the question of forgiveness and in a way I will never forgive him for robbing her of her life,” he said.

Caroline Stuttle has had an impact on those who have heard her story.

“When it comes to judgment it's not for me to judge, he will have to stand in his own judgment and that of God.”

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey has encouraged community members to attend the memorial service for Caroline at 5pm on Sunday, April 10, at Christ Church, 59 Woongarra St, following which the new plaque will be unveiled in Buss Park.

“In 2010 local artist Marilyn Batty created a lovely rainbow mosaic memorial as a tribute to Caroline which was proudly displayed in Buss Park, a popular place for visiting backpackers,” Cr Dempsey said in a statement

“Unfortunately time and weather impacts had caused that mosaic to deteriorate so last year, ahead of this anniversary date, council sought the blessing of Caroline’s family to revitalise the memorial.

“The community is invited to help us honour Caroline’s memory by attending the memorial service at Christ Church which will be followed by the unveiling of the new plaque in Buss Park.”

Former detective, councillor and MP David Batt and then mayor Lorraine Pyefinch pay their respects at the memorial to Caroline Stuttle 10 years ago. Mr Batt was one of the detectives working on Caroline’s case at the time it happened. Photo: File

Mr Stuttle said a memorial to his sister was a perfect way to honour for her memory.

“At the time of her murder our family was incredibly moved by how much the people of Bundaberg cared so passionately about what happened to Caroline and took our family into their hearts,” he said.

“It is a great honour of us to have a new memorial to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her passing.

“The memorial fits perfectly with Caroline’s love for nature, the location is perfect.

“I can easily imagine Caroline sat in the park enjoying the sunshine and watching the world go by.

“We still feel that a rainbow of hope extends from Caroline’s hometown of York in the United Kingdom all the way to Bundaberg.”

More information on Caroline’s Rainbow Foundation’s VR Project