Biddy Porter’s mum slams ‘cloak and dagger’ Mental Health Review Tribunal

Shocking new details have emerged about the killer of 10-year-old NSW girl Biddy Porter, with her mother blasting the “cloak and dagger” tribunal that allowed the murderer day release.

The killer who took the life of 10-year-old Bridgette “Biddy” Porter has been out on supervised day release but had the visits revoked because they were deemed a danger to society.

The explosive new details about the ghastly NSW homicide case have not surprised Biddy’s mum Rebekah Porter, who is convinced her daughter’s attacker will kill again and is furious they were given supervised day release less than three years after her daughter’s death.

Ms Porter was told the killer had tried to strangle someone.

She fears steps are being taken to prepare them for release — including investigating Centrelink and NDIS opportunities, and even discussion about university in the future.

The shocking series of events has led to serious questions about the operations of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and justice behind closed doors.

Rebekah Porter will never get over the death of her 10-year-old daughter Bridgette “Biddy” Porter. Picture: Dean Marzolla

So brutal was the killing of Biddy in winter 2020 that the details of her injuries have been suppressed for 20 years.

Her killer was arrested nearby two hours later and was charged with murder, but the court found the act proven but not criminally responsible in 2021.

Biddy with her beloved dog. Picture: Supplied

They are now being treated in a forensic health facility and their identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons.

“I think they would kill again. I mean, they talked about what the kill count will be and how good it’s going to feel and did all the things that serial killers do, like mutilating and killing animals, and just had an obvious lust and desire to murder,” Ms Porter told the Sunday Telegraph.

“If it could be done to Bridget I can’t see why it won’t happen again. This person couldn’t control themselves before and has absolutely no remorse about it. How can that change so much in three years? It can’t.”

Ms Porter said the killing of her daughter was “heinous and premeditated”.

“The killer’s bag was packed, the killer had a fascination with weapons and knives and had murdered animals, so all of that history told me there is a danger and I don’t believe that it’s possible for that to be rehabilitated,” Ms Porter said.

“I have worked in mental health, I’ve seen people in psychosis, but the killer sitting there being interviewed by police the day of Biddy’s death and there’s no panic at all.

“It’s chilling.”

Biddy’s ashes are kept in a special room filled with her favourite things in her mum’s home. Picture: Dean Marzolla

The attacker was supervised by a team of at least four medical professionals.

The Sunday Telegraph understands the approval for outings was revoked after they were deemed “a risk to the community”.

The Sunday Telegraph has been told the killer tried to strangle another patient in the facility.

Ms Porter believes the reports were taken seriously.

“I believe that may be a reason the killer was assessed as too risky to have outings at this time,” she said.

Ms Porter, who has been to hell and back in terms of her own mental health as a direct result of Biddy’s killing, said the system had failed her.

“It’s really kind of all very, very hidden and it shouldn’t be, it should be in the public interest,” she said.

“My daughter is gone, my life will never be the same. I will never get over this and so many other lives have been destroyed.

“I shouldn’t feel more traumatised by the system that should be there to protect me.

“It’s the least it can do when it couldn’t protect my daughter. Don’t let anyone else die.”

SYSTEM NEEDS CHANGING

Ms Porter is demanding the “cloak and dagger” forensic mental health system be changed to better support victims.

The killer of 10-year-old Biddy is being detained at a forensic health facility subject to the oversight of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, and being treated by a team of mental health professionals.

Biddy’s mum says the “secretive nature” of the Mental Health Review Tribunal means her daughter’s killer could again be deemed safe to enter the community and she will have little or no voice in the matter.

Biddy with her mum Rebekah. Picture: Supplied

“The tribunal lacks transparency and accountability and has absolute, independent power to release killers back into the community, with victims’ families and the community powerless to object.”

The tribunal records hearings but doesn’t transcribe recordings of hearings as a rule, and they destroy the recordings after 12 months, she said.

“What’s to say Biddy’s killer doesn’t get out in another year and then there will be no record of anything that’s been done in the past anyway? How do I find a way to move on with that hanging over my head?

“This person will forever be protected by the suppression of their identity, and can move next door to any family,” she said.

“It’s in the public interest to know what’s going on with the Mental Health Review Tribunal, how it’s operating. We need transparencyand not just what they’re saying on their website because that’s often not the way it works.

“We need actual transparency and accountability.”

The shrine where Biddy’s short life is honoured. Picture: Dean Marzolla

Ms Porter is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the Mental Health Review Tribunal and wants a raft of changes, including: better transparency; accurate record-keeping of hearings to be kept indefinitely rather than the current practice of destroying recordings after 12 months; and accountability from an independent oversight body.

“I want the system to be more victim-centred and not just lip service,” she said.

Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson said her government was committed to “meaningful reform” of the mental health system and forensic proceedings, and if there were opportunities to improve the system “we will take it”.

Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson. Picture: Nikki Short

Ms Jackson, who met with Bridgette Porter’s mother in 2023, said her story was “heartbreaking” and had a profound impact on her.

“No parent should ever have to experience the heart-wrenching grief of losing a child,” the minister said.

“Our meeting gave me an insight into the challenges people face when interacting with the mental health system and forensic proceedings.”

Ms Jackson said she welcomed the NSW Attorney-General’s current review of victims’ services and hoped it would lead to improvements.

“In general, I have always advocated for transparent and robust systems — this is no different,” she said.

Clare Collins, chair of Advocacy Australia, is supporting calls for an inquiry, saying there appears to be a “inequity between victim’s rights compared to those of a killer”.

“In the state of New South Wales, no public servant or service should be above public scrutiny,” she said.

“As long as the Mental Health Review Tribunal has the power to avoid public scrutiny and accountability, victims like Biddy and her parents will continue to be silenced and denied justice,” Ms Collins said.

Biddy’s killing was so brutal, details of her injuries have been suppressed for 20 years. Picture: Supplied

Local Member and former police prosecutor Philip Donato said the devastating impact of Biddy’s heinous killing is compounded by what her parents believe to be a gross miscarriage of justice and a significant lack of appropriate support services.

He supports the call for a parliamentary inquiry into the tribunal’s “lack of transparency and accountability, having absolute, independent power to release killers back into the community with victims’ families and the community powerless to object”.

The tribunal has also been contacted for comment.

Advocacy Australia is supporting Ms Porter and helping her lobby for change.

To sign their petition visit: www.Justice4BiddyPorter.com

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