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Ray Hadley: Shameful parole failures show board not fit for job

There’s obviously a great disconnect between parole officers and police officers concerning offenders on parole. The case of convicted sex offender Anthony Sampieri is a case in point.

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There’s obviously a great disconnect between parole officers and police officers concerning offenders on parole. The case of convicted sex offender Anthony Sampieri is a case in point.

He allegedly made lewd phone calls to a woman but the information was never conveyed to his parole officer by police.

Police and forensics experts investigate the alleged attack at St George Dance Studio in Kogarah. Picture: Damian Hoffman
Police and forensics experts investigate the alleged attack at St George Dance Studio in Kogarah. Picture: Damian Hoffman

It only came to light after the alleged attack on a seven-year-old girl by Sampieri at a dance studio last week.

The entire system of parole and just who’s in charge needs to be reviewed.

How he got parole before both alleged incidents also needs a full investigation.

Sadly you can’t take back what allegedly happened to the little girl, but you can stop it happening again.

A lewd call Sampieri had made only came to light after the alleged attack on a seven-year-old girl. Picture: Damian Hoffman
A lewd call Sampieri had made only came to light after the alleged attack on a seven-year-old girl. Picture: Damian Hoffman

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I thinks it’s about time we had a detailed look at the workings of the State Parole Authority — too often they are out of step with community expectations.

Columnist Ray Hadley.
Columnist Ray Hadley.

Take the recent case of that dreadful triple murderer Berwyn Rees.

He executed two innocent young men and a police officer in 1977 and 1980.

The sentencing judge said he should die in jail, yet the parole authority was considering releasing this monster until the family of the victims and the media intervened.

In September the parole authority formed an intention to grant parole to Rees.

They apparently viewed him as some sort of model prisoner. He’s a conman and a grub.

A former prisoner called me on the open line and told me he often still boasted of his crimes but the authorities tumbled for his lies.

The system must change.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/ray-hadley-shameful-parole-failures-show-board-not-fit-for-job/news-story/a724ef1875177749652a32ce3302cde3