Fake collar bomber Paul Peters says sorry to Madeleine Pulver

It’s been 10 years since Paul Peters put a collar bomb around a schoolgirl’s neck in a bid to extort money from her parents. Now he has finally apologised and Madeleine Pulver has moved on with her life. EXCLUSIVE PICTURES.

The man who put a fake collar bomb around Sydney schoolgirl Madeleine Pulver’s neck has made a public apology to her for the first time as he pushes to be freed on parole.

Paul Peters, now 60, was jailed for a minimum of 10 years for breaking into Ms Pulver’s multimillion-dollar Mosman family home and placing the device on her in 2011.

Madeleine with her parents Bill and Belinda Pulver after the incident in 2011.

Paul Peters was later arrested in the US. Picture: AP

Peters left Ms Pulver, then an 18-year-old HSC student, with an extortion note that demanded money from her parents — former Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver and his wife Belinda — before he fled the property.

Ms Pulver managed to call her parents and, after a 10-hour ordeal, police officers realised the bomb was actually a fake.

Peters, represented by barrister Robert Webb, faced a parole hearing on Friday and at one point told State Parole Authority judicial officer Mark Marien that he wanted to apologise to Ms Pulver.

Hoax collar bomb victim Madeleine Pulver seen in Sydney getting coffee with her dog. Picture Sam Ruttyn

It took Peters 10 years to apologise to Madeleine, pictures relaxing at the beach.

Peters said: “If there’s one thing I may say, if you don’t mind, I’ve never had opportunity to say in public …” before Judge Marien stopped him and cautioned: “Mr Webb, of course a highly experienced counsel, is appearing for you and I think he has said all that can be said on your behalf, have you spoken to Mr Webb about what you want to say?”

Peters replied: “It was merely a deep founded apology to Madeleine Pulver, that’s all.”

Judge Marien said his apology was noted.

Ms Pulver, now aged in her late 20s, is back to living a normal life and was spotted recently walking around the streets of Paddington with a puppy in a wicker bag.

Madeleine Pulver takes her dog for a walk. Picture Sam Ruttyn.

Ms Pulver lin 2012 after Peters was sentenced to jail. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The Serious Offenders Review Council recently found Peters was suitable for release on parole because he had been assessed as having a low risk of reoffending and also had plans for his life once on the outside.

But solicitor Cameron Gardiner, acting on behalf of the state, asked for an adjournment so a psychiatric report could be prepared about Peters’ mental state during a tense exchange with Judge Marien.

The exasperated judge questioned the need for a new psychiatric report and said the original judge who had sentenced Peters had ruled his actions were motivated by only money.

“There’s no causal connection between his mental condition and the commission of the offence,” Judge Marien said.

“Look at his motivation — it was to make money, that’s what his honour found.

“The Serious Offender Review Council and Community Corrections have made no suggestion of any need for a psychiatric assessment.”

The State Parole Authority will inform Peters about whether his bid for parole has been successful before his non-parole period expires on August 14, 2021.

It’s the first time he has been up for parole. His head sentence of 13 years’ jail for aggravated breaking and entering to commit a serious indictable offence is not due to expire until 2025.