The serial killer, terrorist and paedophile fighting to get back on Sydney’s streets
They’ve committed some of NSW’s most reprehensible crimes, now a serial killer, terrorist, gang rapist and paedophile are among a string high-profile prisoners fighting to get back on the streets.
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A serial killer, terrorist, gang rapist and vile paedophile are fighting to get back on the streets this year as the state’s new parole chief says parole doesn’t mean they are getting out “early”.
“There appears to be a fundamental misconception that persons released on parole are being released early,” Judge David Frearson, the chair of the State Parole Authority, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday, breaking with tradition to publicly explain the authority’s role.
“Any suggestion of early release is false.”
His comments come as cross-dressing outback triple-killer Reginald Arthurell, 75, who now identifies as a woman in jail, is expected to appear before the authority at Parramatta today.
Paul Quinn, whose sister Venet Raylee Mulhall, 54, was Arthurell’s last victim, said the system was rotten because it did not take into account the way the ripple effects of crime run through the community.
Arthurell was serving his second sentence for manslaughter - after killing his stepfather and a teenage sailor - when he met Ms Mulhall, a devoutly religious lady who visited him in jail and they became engaged.
Despite bludgeoning her to death with a piece of wood in her Coonabarabran home in central western NSW in February 1995, the Supreme Court ruled it was not the “worst category of murder” and he was spared a life sentence.
Jailed for 24 years with 18 years non-parole for murder, his total sentence expires in May next year and there is expected to be legal argument today about the conditions of his release.
In another sickening case, the mother of two little girls raped and filmed by a vile paedophile and his wife, said she is desperate to protect other children from their abuser who could walk free soon.
Known only as SGJ, the 56-year-old who filmed his abuse with children as young as three, is eligible for parole for the first time next month after serving his 15 years’ minimum sentence of a 22-year maximum.
His wife, one of the country’s worst female paedophiles who found their victims by advertising for work as a babysitter, was released on parole last year.
“As (the mother) says, she is doing this for no other reason than as a mother she has a duty to protect her daughters and every other victim,” victims’ advocate Howard Brown said on behalf of the mother.
Judge Frearson said the safety of the community was paramount but the parole authority was bound by the sentences handed down by the courts. He said the worst thing for the community would be if offenders walked out of jail on the last day of their sentence without any of the supervision of parole.
“The alternative to parole is to have an offender server out their entire sentence in prison and then be released free to re-join society without any supervision, conditions or adequate structure,” he said yesterday.
“That, without a doubt, presents the worst possible outcome for community safety.”
Michael Guider tried that and failed. The paedophile and killer of Bondi schoolgirl Samantha Knight refused to apply for parole believing he would be able to walk free without any supervision but he was hit with a five-year extended supervision order just before his release last year.
Notorious terrorist and former Qantas baggage handler Bilal Khazaal, 50, will walk free without any supervision when his total sentence ends at the end of next month unless the federal Department of Home Affairs applies for a Continuing Detention Order to keep him locked up.
As a federal prisoner, the State Parole Authority has no jurisdiction over him. He has repeatedly been refused parole by the Federal Attorney-General.
Among other high-profile offenders seeking parole this year are gang rapist Mohammed Skaf, 37, sheep shearer Douglas Wade, 67, who raped and murdered a 22-month-old girl he was babysitting in Tumut, and Andrew “Undies” Perish. 49, convicted of conspiracy to murder in a case that went onto become the subject of TV series Underbelly: Badness.
“The SPA have to let people out but it’s one of the most difficult things to explain to victims is that deficiencies in the system are not something that can be addressed by the parole authority,” Mr Brown said.
While he has been helping victims through the parole process for decades, he said he still hates to see victims let down.
“I am devastated for them because I feel I have let them down. It is a very difficult process and I get very anxious,” Mr Brown said.
Judge Frearson, a former crown prosecutor who replaced Justice James Wood as chair of the SPA earlier this year, said he wanted to stress that parole is not automatic.
“Parole is a safety net. It provides for a transition from prison into the community with significant supervision, conditions and structure to reduce the risk of recidivism,” he said.
“The authority must be satisfied the offender has structure such as appropriate accommodation, access to post release programs to further address offending conduct and ongoing counselling.”