Mackenzie Anderson’s alleged killer’s bail to be reviewed by Attorney-General

The NSW Attorney-General has suggested a huge change to how domestic violence offenders are tracked in the wake of Mackenzie Anderson’s stabbing death.

Domestic violence offenders who are also subject to apprehended violence orders could be forced to wear ankle tracking bracelets to protect women after the death of young mum Mackenzie Anderson.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman will review a decision which granted Tyrone Thompson, 22, bail after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his father the day after he was released from prison for serious domestic violence offences against his ex-girlfriend Mackenzie Anderson.

Two weeks later, Ms Anderson, 21, was stabbed to death at her Newcastle unit and Tyrone Thompson has been charged with her murder.

Mackenzie Anderson (R) with former partner Tyrone Thompson, who has been charged with the 21-year-old mum’s murder.

“I will look at the transcript of that bail decision,” Mr Speakman said on Thursday, as The Daily Telegraph can reveal Tyrone Thompson’s incredible run of luck in the judicial system over the past six weeks.

It follows the announcement by the former chief justice Tom Bathurst of plans for judges and magistrates to get a hand from artificial intelligence that would flag checklists and possible outcomes of bail decisions.

Thompson had been arrested on October 24 last year following an incident at Ms Anderson’s home at Mayfield, Newcastle, and was later convicted of stalk and intimidate, common assault and malicious damage and sentenced to 10 months with a non-parole period of five months.

On February 16 this year, he successfully appealed his sentence which was cut in the District Court by Judge Roy Ellis to a maximum nine months’ jail backdated to October 24, with a non-parole period of four months and two weeks.

That meant he was automatically released on parole on March 9, the day the minimum sentence ended. He agreed to a further condition on an apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO) protecting Ms Anderson that he not contact her. That condition is added to the compulsory conditions that he not assault, threaten, stalk, harass or intimidate her.

Thompson was previously convicted for stalking, intimidation, assault and malicious damage in connection with Ms Anderson.

He went to visit his father, Jason Thompson, and on March 10, he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after allegedly bashing his father during a drinking session to celebrate his release from jail. Hornsby police refused him bail.

That afternoon, Thompson faced Hornsby Local Court and was released on conditional bail by Magistrate Peter Miszalski despite having been rearrested a day after walking from jail on parole on a fresh domestic assault charge. The conditions included that he attend a designated medical centre within seven days and not drink or use illegal drugs. He was also made subject to an AVO to protect his father.

It is understood that he immediately contacted Ms Anderson and on March 25, they spent time drinking at her Mayfield unit at her invitation. He allegedly left the property but returned later that night where he allegedly broke into her home and allegedly stabbed her 20 times.

She died on the landing outside the unit.

Mackenzie was very active on social media, posting about her life on platforms including TikTok.

The Attorney-General said Ms Anderson’s death would be examined by the dedicated Domestic Violence Death Review Team which makes recommendations about whether laws need to change.

“Every domestic violence homicide is examined by the Domestic Violence Death review team led by the coroner which makes periodic recommendations … about the need for any law reform, the need for any operational changes and changes in support structures,” Mr Speakman said.

He said that one change that could be considered is ankle bracelets for people subject to an AVO after previously being convicted of a DV offence.

“We’ll continue to explore the prospects of greater use of electronic monitoring, which is not foolproof but is a handy tool,” Mr Speakman said.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman is considering enforcing greater tracking measures for violent offenders. Picture: Tim Hunter

Labor’s police spokesman Walt Secord said the system had failed Ms Anderson, her family and friends as he called on the government to consider a trial of electronic ankle bracelets for convicted domestic violence offenders who have breached or are likely to breach AVOs.

“It is time that we thought outside the box when it comes to dealing with violent domestic abusers. Sometimes, we just have to admit that there is no way to rehabilitate scum,” Mr Secord said.

The move was supported by domestic violence expert Hayley Foster, chief executive officer of Full Stop Australia.

Ms Foster said Thompson’s previous convictions for domestic violence should have been red-flagged by Hornsby Local Court and he should never have been released on bail.

Hayley Foster, CEO of domestic violence service Full Stop Australia. Picture: Supplied

She said that magistrates got “tired and fatigued” and genuinely wanted to help young men turn over a new leaf and not condemn them to jail.

“But at the end of the day, it has to be taken seriously,” Ms Foster, former head of Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia, said.

“With one in three women experiencing physical of sexual violence at the hands of a man they know, and one woman a week being murdered, odds are, they are in serious danger and you could be the last person who could have stepped in before something happened.

“We all think it’s someone else’s role, but if we all think that, nobody does anything and it’s always the same thing, no-one thought this would happen.”

Ms Foster said that the victims of domestic violence like Ms Anderson had no input into the bail or parole process.

“There is nothing in place for them to be consulted and without a safety plan, she had no-one else to keep her safe,” Ms Foster said.

Thompson was formally refused bail in Newcastle Local Court this week charged with murder, aggravated enter dwelling with intent and breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order. No plea was entered and he will appear before the court again in May.