Mosman collar bomb hoaxer Paul Douglas Peters granted parole

The man who terrified a Sydney teenager by attaching a fake bomb around her neck more than a decade ago will walk out of prison.

Paul Douglas Peters, who made global headlines when he strapped a fake bomb around a Sydney schoolgirl’s neck in a brazen home invasion 10 years ago, will walk from prison at the end of the month.

The now 60-year-old was granted parole on Friday after spending a decade inside for the unthinkable 10-hour ordeal he put his victim, Madeleine Pulver, through in 2011.

But he will be banned from returning to Mosman, where he committed the terrifying extortion attempt, and other NSW suburbs that are meaningful to the Pulver family.

The State Parole Authority (SPA) decision reveals Ms Pulver’s father, Bill, asked for a letter from Peters “acknowledging that he is truly sorry for what he did to an innocent 18-year-old girl and some understanding from him about the mental anguish she has suffered and will continue to suffer for the rest of her life”.

At his parole hearing last month, Peters spoke up briefly to offer Ms Pulver a “deep founded apology”.

Madeleine Pulver went through a 10-hour ordeal locked to a fake bomb at the hands of Peters in 2011.

On the afternoon of August 3, 2011, Ms Pulver was studying for her HSC exams when Peters broke into the family’s Mosman home and affixed a black box – later discovered to be a gun safe – around her neck with a bicycle lock.

He put a purple lanyard around the 18-year-old’s neck containing a USB stick and a plastic document sleeve with a typed letter in it, told her to count to 200, and vanished.

The box remained locked on the teenager’s neck for the next 10 hours until bomb disposal experts finally determined no explosives were inside.

Peters was apprehended by the FBI 12 days later, halfway across the world in the US city of Louisville, Kentucky.

The SPA took into account Peters’ behaviour in custody, including his participation in programs, and the fact it was his first time in prison in making its decision.

It rejected the state’s argument that Peters should stay behind bars for another psychiatric assessment and said it could not see the utility of such a delay.

Bill Pulver, pictured with wife Belinda, asked for a letter from Peters that showed he understood the ‘mental anguish’ he had inflicted on his daughter.

The Serious Offenders Review Council recommended Peters’ release on parole in a June report, citing his strong family support and the fact he has secured a place to live and a job upon his release.

Ms Pulver’s father, Bill, wrote to the SPA on May 6, saying his daughter had suffered from extreme PTSD in the wake of her ordeal and continues to experience anxiety in stressful situations.

He said it would be beneficial for her to have an explanation how Peters could have done what he did.

Mr Pulver said his daughter’s mental health had regressed since an episode of A Current Affair aired in April about Peters’ potential release, and she has a “real fear” she may confront him in Sydney.

Peters will be released between August 27 and September 3.

“She no longer has the security that he is behind bars,” Mr Pulver wrote.

“For this reason we are keen to establish some ‘no go’ zones for him which include places special to us: Mosman, Paddington, Braidwood, NSW and Avoca.”

Peters’ parole conditions include he “must not frequent or visit” those areas or contact the Pulver family in any way.

He is also banned from drinking alcohol and must attend counselling if directed by his parole officer.

He will be released between August 27 and September 3.

Originally published as Mosman collar bomb hoaxer Paul Douglas Peters granted parole