Trinity Bates’ murderer Allyn John Slater should stay in jail for life: minister
Corrective Services Minister Laura Gerber cannot influence the parole decision for a child murderer but believes he should not be released.
Police & Courts
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A Queensland child murderer should remain behind bars for the rest of his life, the state’s corrections minister says, amid calls for him to be stopped from applying for parole for 10 years.
Allyn John Slater – a Bundaberg man who abducted and murdered eight-year-old Trinity Bates from her bedroom in 2010 – will be eligible for parole next month after 15 years behind bars.
Trinity’s parents Damien Bates and Amanda Clarke told The Sunday Mail they never wanted Slater to be released after he killed Trinity and left her body in a stormwater drain near their home.
Criminals who have killed a child can be deemed restricted prisoners by Parole Board Queensland, which prevents them from being considered for parole for up to 10 more years.
Corrective Services Minister Laura Gerber said she could not step in to influence the decision but believed he should not be released.
“Allyn John Slater is a convicted child killer, and it is my personal opinion he should remain behind bars for the rest of his life and I have every confidence the independent Parole Board will take this matter extremely seriously should an application for parole be made,” Ms Gerber said.
The restricted prisoner process applies to certain inmates who have been sentenced to life in jail, including those who have killed a child or committed more than one murder.
It aims to limit re-traumatisation of victims’ families and maintain confidence in the parole system.
The decision to declare a prisoner as restricted prevents them from being considered for parole for up to 10 more years from their original parole eligibility date.
Slater will be eligible for parole in August, but Trinity’s parents are pleading that he is not released.
“The last 15 years have been like a living hell that we can’t escape,” Mrs Clarke said.
“Just the thought of this happening is terrifying, the impact for our family would be unimaginable.”
The Parole Board Queensland did not comment on making Slater a restricted prisoner if he applied for parole.
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