Greg Dufty murder: Nelson Patea could be released on parole early after court ruling

CONVICTED killer Nelson Patea could be released on parole as early as next month following a decision by the parole board.

CONVICTED killer Nelson Patea could be released on parole as early as next month after it was ruled he had no knowledge of where Greg Dufty was buried after he was brutally murdered in July 2015.

Patea pleaded guilty to manslaughter in May this year and was sentenced to eight years prison with parole eligibility on January 11, next year.

TRIO ADMITS TO KILLING GOLD COAST’S GREG DUFTY

Facebook images of Nelson Patea who has been arrested in Sydney over the death of Greg Duffy

His older brother Lionel Patea pleaded guilty to murder and will not be released until 2048.

Lionel Patea has also been convicted and is serving time for the murder of his former partner Tara Brown.

Nelson Patea last month faced a hearing to determine if he could be released on parole and if he knew what happened to Mr Dufty’s body.

He cannot be released unless he has helped authorities to the best of his ability to locate Mr Dufty’s remains.

The parole board said in a decision released today Patea helped the best he could.

LAWYER QUESTIONS TIME GIVEN TO CO-MURDERER

Greg Dufty was brutally murdered over an outstanding cannabis debt.

“The Board is satisfied … given that the applicant did not have the capacity to give co-operation in the investigation offence to identify the victim’s location,” the parole board said in their decision.

Patea’s lawyer Campbell MacCallum, of Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said “common sense” had prevailed and that Patea would immediately apply for parole in January next year.

GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS FOR 50C A DAY

Nelson Patea arriving back on the Gold Coast after being arrested in Sydney in relation to the disappearance of Greg Duffy Photo: David Clark

“Extremely pleased with the fair hearing we received from the parole board. They were attentive, thorough and clearly based their decision on all of the information available as opposed to any bias to anyone party,” he said.

“This type of decision raises confidence for inmates caught up in these processes.”

During Patea’s sentencing in May it was heard he had did not know Mr Dufty had died until the following day after an attack.

The two Pateas, along with Liam Bliss, Aaron John Crawford and Clinton Stockman, had taken Mr Dufty to an isolated area beating him severely.

The beating was over a $17,000 cannabis debt Mr Dufty owed Crawford.

After the beating Crawford and Stockman set fire to the body in northern NSW along with a large amount of timber.

No traces of Mr Dufty’s remains have been found.