Ebony Simpson’s killer Andrew Peter Garforth will ‘die in jail’ says Corrective Services Minister David Elliott
CHILD killer Andrew Peter Garforth will die in jail and could have existing privileges revoked after Corrective Services Minister David Elliott issued a massive slap down to the serious offenders review council.
CHILD killer Andrew Peter Garforth will die in jail and could have existing privileges revoked after Corrective Services Minister David Elliott issued a massive slap down to the serious offenders review council — which wanted to downgrade Garforth’s prisoner status.
Garforth, 52, was jailed for life and his file was marked “never to be released” for the rape and murder of Ebony Simpson, 9, in Bargo as she walked from home from her school bus in 1992. He tied her up with wire and threw her in a dam.
It emerged yesterday that Garforth’s prisoner status had been downgraded from A2 to B on the advice of the Serious Offenders Review Council.
It meant that the killer would have been eligible to apply for work and rehabilitation courses, infuriating Ebony’s mother Christine Simpson.
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“I want what was set down — lock him up, throw away the key,” Ms Simpson told A Current Affair last night. “He needs a plate of beans kicked under that door of his cell and a glass of water, that’s all he needs.”
Mr Elliott was also furious at the serious offenders review council’s decision, which was rubberstamped by Corrective Services boss Peter Severin.
He announced on Tuesday morning that he would reverse the council’s decision and look to strip away any existing privileges that Garforth enjoyed at Goulburn jail.
“This guys gets nothing. He will die in jail,” Mr Elliott told Ray Hadley on 2GB radio.
“I’ve taken personal responsibility for this matter and I will today be writing to Mrs Simpson and offering a heartfelt apology on behalf of the people of NSW for the way she has been treated.
“I have come over the top of the serious offenders review committee and I have today instructed the Commissioner that Garforth gets zip.
“And I have asked for a list of everything he had prior to reclassification so I can see if I can take anything away from him.”
“This is not what this government was elected for and it’s certainly not what the people of NSW expect out of the judicial system.”
Hadley was stunned by Mr Elliott’s response and immediately congratulated him for the stance.
There were fears among victims groups that the decision to reclassify Garfoth could set a precedent that other serious offenders could take advantage of.
Garforth brazenly joined the massive hunt for Ebony before he was arrested. He had ejaculated on Ebony’s face before he left her to drown in the dam.
“He’s a paedophile, he’s a child murderer — look back over his record, it will horrify you,” Ms Simpson said.
“He came onto our property, he joined the search. We fed him, he’s a horrible man. Why do you think he needs to be doing a course?”
He remains in maximum security at Goulburn, where prisoners are let out of their cells between 7am and 3.30pm. Victims of Crime Assistance League vice-president Howard Brown said Garforth should have no privileges.
“Garforth is a child killer, we don’t give privileges to child killers,” he said.
“When you lose a young, innocent child ... under the circumstances they lost Ebony, I can perfectly understand why they’d be so upset and outraged.”
A Corrective Services NSW spokesman had said that there was very little change in Garforth’s management.
“After 22 years ... the change in classification was made on the advice of the Serious Offenders Review Council,” he said. “It means the prisoner will have access to some offender programs and employment in prison.”
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