Kathleen Folbigg: Tracy Chapman, Megan Donegan and lawyer Rhanee Rego on future after mum’s release from Grafton jail
Friends and stalwart supporters of pardoned mum Kathleen Folbigg have spoken about her difficulty adjusting to life outside bars – and simple wishes for the future, including a trip to the beach.
Regional News
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The media swarm which has surrounded the secluded Clarence property where Kathleen Folbigg is experiencing her first days of freedom largely disappeared Wednesday morning.
Only a few reporters milled around Ms Folbigg’s new “sanctuary” at Glenreagh – long-time supporter and friend Tracy Chapman’s property, dotted by horses.
MORE: KATHLEEN FOLBIGG SPEAKS OUT AFTER BEING PARDONED
Ms Folbigg’s was released from Clarence Correctional Centre at Grafton on Monday.
She was sensationally pardoned after 20 years spent lingering in prison over the deaths of her four children.
Both Ms Chapman and solicitor Rhanee Rego spoke to journalists on Wednesday.
Ms Chapman confirmed Ms Folbigg had finally received the steak she had been craving after so many years behind bars. Her freedom was celebrated with pizza, garlic bread, Kahlua and Coke on Monday night.
“She finally got her steak last night so sorry to all the vegetarians out there,” Ms Chapman quipped.
Ms Rego said while compensation was “on everyone’s mind” the next legal step will be to attempt to have Ms Folbigg’s conviction quashed.
After speaking to the cameras, Ms Chapman, Ms Rego and another long-time supporter, Megan ‘Megz’ Donegan, all took the time to have a quiet word.
Ms Rego said she was just eleven-years-old when Ms Folbigg was convicted.
“All the time Kath was in jail, I grew up, got a law degree and became her lawyer.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” she added, speaking about the past couple of days.
This sentiment was echoed by Ms Donegan, who has been with Ms Folbigg since her release from prison – and has known her since they first started high school in Newcastle.
Ms Donegan said she only had 15 minutes warning to get ready before she was whisked away to see her “lifelong friend” upon her sudden release.
“It was ridiculous – I grabbed six pairs of underpants, 15 shirts and one pair of pyjama pants … I was just stressing, it was all the adrenaline, I didn’t know how to pack,” she said.
Ms Donegan also expressed her hope things would “go back to normal quickly” for Ms Folbigg, but said there was a lot to catch up on — and adjust to — after two decades behind bars.
“(Kathleen has) just been so institutionalised,” she said.
“So when I (first saw) her I said ‘why are you just sitting in a corner rocking’ and she said ‘because now I’m out’.”
Ms Chapman also spoke about her longing for things to return to “normal” for Kathleen.
“At the moment she’s holed up, but it would be lovely to take her down to the beach even just to get her an ice cream because she loves ice cream and she hasn’t been able to have it for 20 years,” she said
“That day will be really cool, when I can take her to the beach, when all of this dies down and she’s just a normal person who can sit on the beach with an ice cream.”
However, Ms Chapman did say her friend ate some of the ice cream she’s waited twenty years for last night.
“She just wanted triple chocolate ice cream,” Ms Chapman recalled.
“She said to me, ‘is there anything (that’s) chocolate on chocolate on chocolate’.”
“(And so) we got her some Connoisseur mud chocolate and she ate a bowl last night and she was just like, ‘this is the best’.”
On Tuesday, Ms Folbigg said in a video statement she was “extremely humbled and extremely grateful” and spoke of her “eternal gratitude” for friends and family.
The news of Ms Folbigg’s pardon on Monday after two decades behind bars created a hive of activity and media frenzy.
A media conference was scheduled in Sydney at 11.40am on Monday, where NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley announced Folbigg’s pardon.
So in a bid to avoid a “media circus” at the prison, staff at Clarence Correctional Centre drove Ms Folbigg to Chapman’s farm.
In crisp 12 degree country air, Folbigg was helped into a prison vehicle just after 11am and driven about 50km to Ms Chapman’s farm, where she has remained tucked away throughout her first days of freedom.
On Wednesday, as Ms Rego, Ms Chapman and Ms Donegan departed down the driveway, and camera crews packed up, all that was left on the outskirts of the property were two security guards and the horses roaming the fields.
For the time being, Ms Folbigg remains out of view as she adjusts – nestled away in the quiet of rural Clarence Valley.
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