Central Coast child killer SLD to defend charges he breached supervision order at Bulli Beach

Australia’s youngest child killer will defend allegations he approached mothers and their children on a Wollongong beach just weeks after completing a 20-year jail sentence for murdering a young girl.

A 13 year old boy who killed Courtney Morley-Clarke in 2001 was arrested and is facing new charges more than 20 years later.

Australia’s youngest child killer will defend allegations he approached mothers and their children on a Wollongong beach just weeks after completing a 20-year jail sentence for murdering a young girl.

The man, who can only be identified as SLD by court order, is also facing new allegations of intimidating a Community Corrections officer earlier this year.

SLD was 13 in 2001 when he snatched Courtney Morley-Clarke from her Central Coast home, where she was sleeping, before stabbing her in the heart with a steak knife and discarding her lifeless body down an embankment.

In August 2002, Justice James Wood sentenced SLD to 20 years jail and described the horrific killing as a “parent’s worst nightmare”.

He said SLD had “limited empathy and a record of bullying and domination of younger children”.

Courtney Morley-Clarke, 3, who was abducted from her home and killed by a 13-year-old boy.

SLD, now 36, was released from custody in August last year on a five-year extended supervision order (ESO) designed to monitor his every movement and social interaction, including banning him from having any association with children.

Police will allege at trial that SLD breached the order by approaching the women and their kids during a day visit to Bulli Beach in October last year.

SLD was taken back into custody at the time and charged with three counts of failing to comply with an extended supervision order.

He made an unsuccessful application for bail in Wollongong Local Court the following day and again in NSW Supreme Court in February.

Courtney Morley-Clarke’s family members during the search for her.

Facing court again on Wednesday via video link from a correctional centre, SLD pleaded not guilty to the breach charges and the case was committed to the NSW District Court for trial.

He is yet to enter a plea to the fresh intimidation charge.

Documents tendered to the Supreme Court said police will allege SLD was at the beach with a support worker when an off-duty community corrections officer spotted him wearing an electronic monitoring anklet.

Police officer searching for evidence in drain near the girl’s house in 2001.

Police allege the officer witnessed SLD approach a woman in a swimsuit holding a small girl where they spoke briefly. The woman then picked up the child and walked away.

The court heard SLD then allegedly approached a second woman washing an infant wearing bather bottoms in the shower area, with the two exchanging words before SLD gestured at the girl.

The woman grabbed the child and walked away from SLD.

The final interaction witnessed by the officer, the court heard, involved SLD allegedly approaching a woman feeding a baby at the Bulli Beach Cafe.

According to documents, SLD claimed he had done nothing wrong when confronted by the off-duty officer at the time.

Bulli Beach

According to a report tendered during the bail proceedings, SLD repeatedly told a psychologist his plans to lose his virginity after two decades behind bars were being thwarted by authorities because he was not allowed to use dating apps or websites to meet women.

“He claimed having sex was a human right and Corrective Services NSW are abusing his rights,” the psychologist wrote.

On Wednesday, the court was told SLD was facing a further two charges of intimidating a law enforcement officer.

Documents tendered to court said police will allege SLD intimidated a Community Corrections officer over a three-week period in February and march by allegedly threatening to kidnap and torture the officer in retribution for providing information to police in relation to a legal matter.

Police further allege SLD intimidated the officer’s relative during the same time period.

The intimidation charges will return to the local court at a later date, while the charges relating to the alleged supervision breach will be mentioned in Wollongong District Court next month.

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