FULL LIST: Notorious Qld criminals eligible for parole in 2024
The Queensland criminals that could return the community this year include drug traffickers, rapists, and even some convicted killers. See the full list of notorious criminals up for parole in 2024.
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With serious convictions under their belt including drug trafficking, sexual assault, and even manslaughter, see the notorious Queensland criminals up for parole in 2024.
The individuals on this list were sentenced for a wide array of offending, but all received sentences between five and 10 years in jail.
With many serving significant amounts of time in custody prior to their sentencing however, some may be released less than a year since their sentencing.
Those eligible for parole with have to make a case to the Parole Board before they can be released.
But proposed new Queensland parole laws may force them to wait up to 12 months to reapply if their first parole bid is unsuccessful.
See the notorious criminals due to make their bid to be released this year:
JANUARY 24: BENJAMIN WILLIAMS
Benjamin Micheal Williams was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years jail last April for trafficking wholesale amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Williams had sold ounce quantities of meth to independent drug traffickers, after arranging for drugs to be transported from the Gold Coast to Mackay.
A total of $87,762 was deposited into his account across 36 transactions throughout his eight month offending period.
Police also found him in possession of quantities of drugs including 12.9g of pure cocaine, 68.6g of pure meth, and 195g of MDMA pills.
Williams pleaded guilty to a number of offences including trafficking dangerous drugs.
Because he had already served 873 days of pre-sentence custody, his parole eligibility date was set for January 24, 2024.
Queensland Corrective Service (QCS) records show his name is no longer included in the database of current inmates.
JANUARY 30: BRADLEY TURNBULL-KELLY
Bradley Turnbull-Kelly was sentenced to five years and three months’ jail for a “terrifying” home invasion in which a women begged his co-offender not to shoot her.
The Maroochydore District Court heard the conflict had kicked off over a pair of shoes sold by a member of the woman’s share house to an associate of Turnbull-Kelly, who failed to pay for the shoes.
Turnbull-Kelly and two co-offenders went to the share house to confront the seller, but found a woman in his room.
One of the co-offenders threatened her with a pistol, causing her to scream out “don’t shoot me” while another housemate hid inside a closet.
Turnbull-Kelly pleaded guilty to armed robbery in company, alongside two co-offenders, in Maroochydore District Court last June.
The young dad also pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert justice for attempting to take the blame for a meth raid at his partner’s house while he was in jail.
His parole eligibility was set for January 30, 2024, but QCS records show he is currently still in custody at Borallon Training and Correctional Centre.
FEBRUARY 28: HAYDN KLEIDON
Haydn Kleidon was sentenced to seven years jail last September for selling wholesale amounts of cocaine, MDMA and marijuana.
The Rockhampton Supreme Court heard Kleidon was “moving about three ounces (85 grams) a week” during the six month trafficking period in 2021.
He received $19,860 in cash deposits during that time.
Kleidon pleaded guilty to charges including trafficking drugs, two of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug, six of possessing a dangerous drug, two of possessing anything used in connection to drugs, and one of possessing more than 500g of marijuana.
His parole eligibility was set for February 28, 2024, with 570 days presentence custody declared as time served.
Kleidon’s name is no longer listed as a current inmate in the QCS prisoner database.
MARCH: DYLAN BUCKINGHAM
Dylan Barry Phillip Buckingham was found guilty of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl by a Brisbane District Court jury in March 2021.
The court heard Buckingham had repeatedly sexually abused an 11-year-old girl over a six-month period in 2016 and 2017.
He was found guilty of three counts of rape, maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child and four counts of indecent treatment of a child.
Buckingham was sentenced to six and a half years jail, with parole eligibility in March 2024
He is currently still in custody at Wolston Correctional Centre.
MARCH 18: YASPATHU NAMOK
Yaspathu Peter Namok pleaded guilty at age 19 to the rape of a sleeping woman.
The Southport District Court heard Namok had been “extremely intoxicated” and had no recollection of the rape.
When she confronted him about it, he had responded “I thought you wanted to have sex”.
Namok was sentenced to five and a half years jail, with parole eligibility on March 18, 2024.
was just 18 years old when he raped a sleeping woman.
He pleaded guilty to the crime a year later and was sentenced to five and a half years jail.
Namok is currently in custody at Woodford Correctional Centre.
MARCH 30: DOMINICK PHILLIPS
Dominick Encoh Phillips was sentenced to six years and one month imprisonment for his involvement in the same armed robbery as Bradley Turnbull-Kelly.
The Maroochydore District Court heard Phillips had been the one to enlist his co-offenders, saying they “need to f--k this guy up” and even offering them money.
Phillips had wielded a pistol throughout the robbery, demanding to know the location of the man who had sold the shoes.
He pleaded guilty to the robbery and was given a parole eligibility date of March 30, 2024.
His 442 days in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served.
Phillips is currently still in custody at Woodford Correctional Centre.
APRIL 1: JOHN MOOKA
John Lameka Mooka was sentenced to five years jail last November after he was busted with 1990 child exploitation images.
The Townsville District Court heard the vast majority of images were of the most serious category – depicting pre-pubescent children under 13 years of age.
Mooka had a seven-page criminal record which included a 2017 charge of indecent treatment of a child under 12, a 2021 charge of possession of child exploitation material and failing to comply with child protection offender reporting requirements.
Mooka pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing child exploitation material, and one count each of enter premises with intent, stealing, trespass, obstruct police and contravention of an order from an officer.
His 599 days in presentence custody were declared time-served, and parole was set at April 1, 2024.
Mooka is currently in custody at Townsville Men's Correctional Centre.
APRIL 26: SANDRA BALFOUR
Brisbane accountant Sandra Balfour was sentenced to eight years behind bars after stealing $1.8 million from her employer.
The Brisbane District Court heard Balfour siphoned the money over seven-and-half years while working for car dealership giant AP Eagers.
The court heard she had used the money to fund a gambling addiction and fed the money straight into poker machines.
Balfour pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of fraud and was granted parole eligibility on April 26, 2024.
Her barrister Matthew Hynes told the court Balfour would likely be deported to Scotland after her sentence was served.
She is currently in custody at Helana Jones Community Corrections Centre.
MAY 22: WILFRED GEORGETOWN
A Kingaroy jury found Wilfred George Craig Georgetown guilty in April 2023 of raping a 14-year-old girl.
The Murgon man was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of indecent treatment of a child under 16 with carnal knowledge.
He was sentenced to nine years jail, with parole eligibility on May 22, 2024, taking into account 453 days of presentence custody.
Georgetown is currently in custody at Maryborough Correctional Centre.
JUNE 30: CONNOR FRENCH
Connor Elliott French was sentenced to six years jail last January for the fatal crash that killed his pregnant passenger Tori-Lee Coggan-Price, 28.
French was just 18 when he lost control of his car while driving 160km/h in a 70 zone on Beaudesert Road, Windaroo.
Ms Coggan-Price was thrown 37 meters as the car flipped, and she died from her injuries.
The other passenger Kylah Smithers, 19 suffered swelling under her scalp, displaced fractures in her back, and a haematoma.
French pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and grievous bodily harm while speeding.
His license was disqualified for four years and he was granted parole eligibility on June 30, 2024.
French is currently still in custody at Woodford Correctional Centre.
JULY 7: MICHAEL RICHARDSON
Michael Kenneth Richardson was sentenced to seven years jail last April for raping a drunk 14-year-old girl at a party.
The Rockhampton District Court heard the victim had gone outside, feeling sick, and was sexually assaulted by another unknown man.
Richardson then took her to another room and raped her, the court heard.
Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of rape.
He was granted parole eligibility on July 7, 2024, with 415 days of pre-sentence custody declared time-served.
He is currently in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre
SEPTEMBER 7: MITCHELL WEST
Mitchell Ryan West was sentenced to six years jail in November 2022 for a seven month crime spree covering almost the entire length of the Queensland coast.
The Townsville District Court heard West’s offending included a terrifying robbery on a Townsville magistrate in her own home.
He pleaded guilty to 37 charges including multiple counts of stealing, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, evasion offences, enter dwelling with intent and armed robbery.
The court heard West had an extensive criminal history including grievous bodily harm, burglary, robbery, assault, and dangerous operation of a vehicle offences
West was granted parole eligibility on September 7, 2024, with 445 days presentence custody taken into account but not declared time-served.
He is currently in custody at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.
SEPTEMBER 14: BENJAMIN ROSS
Ormeau concreter Benjamin Luke Ross was sentenced to five-years jail last March for a number of meth-fuelled crimes.
The Brisbane Supreme Court heard Ross was caught with more than 350 grams of meth across three occasions in 2022, while he was on parole for other crimes.
His bail was denied on the third occasion after officers from Organised Crime Gangs Group Taskforce Maxima alleged Ross was an active bikie.
Ross pleaded guilty to five serious drug offences including supplying dangerous drugs and possession of methylamphetamine and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), as well as eight other drug offences.
His parole eligibility was set at September 14, 2024, and his 201 days of presentence custody were declared as time-served.
Ross is currently in custody at Wolston Correctional Centre.
SEPTEMBER 23: TRISTAN WATSON
Tristan James Watson was jailed for five and a half years – on top of a six-year sentence he was already serving – for slamming into a traffic controller while driving a stolen Toyota RAV4.
Brendan Moreland had been at the end of his shift on October 26, 2021, when he was tossed around 50m in the air in front of three of his workmates.
Watson had been driving more than 40kmh higher than the 80kmh limit, and had only just been released on parole the month before.
Mr Moreland died from his injuries, while Watson kept driving and was later found hiding in the ceiling of his home
He pleaded guilty in November 2022 to dangerous driving causing death while speeding and leaving the scene of a fatal crash.
Parole eligibility was set for September 23, 2024.
Watson is currently in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre.
NOVEMBER 11: JOSEPH THIMBLE
Joseph Raymond Thimble was sentenced to nine years jail at the Cairns Supreme Court in October 2021 after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Thimble had stabbed his housemate, distant relative, and friend Marcus Blair in the chest on January 28, 2020.
The two men had been heavily intoxicated and started fighting when Mr Blair became abusive towards Mr Thimble’s partner and his partner’s father.
The court heard that in the immediate aftermath, Thimble was seen to be laughing and asked what had happened.
Taking into account 538 days in pre-sentence custody, Thimble’s parole eligibility was set for November 11, 2024.
He is currently incarcerated at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.
NOVEMBER 13: GENE RICHARDSON
Gene Louis Richardson was sentenced to eight years jail last May for trafficking cocaine, MDMA and LSD.
The former miner had started trafficking after receiving a deadly medical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Rockhampton Supreme Court heard Richardson may now die in jail, after trafficking to 83 contacts from April to October 2021.
His offending was detected when postal officers found two parcels he attempted to mail containing 500g of cocaine at less than 50 per cent purity.
Police uncovered messages indicating Richardson had received 1560 LSD tablets, 56g of MDMA, 1000 tablets of MDMA and 696g of cocaine during the trafficking period.
Other messages mentioned supplying $178,000 worth of drugs on tick, the court heard.
Richardson pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs, possessing more than 2g of a schedule one drug, and three counts of supplying drugs.
His parole eligibility was set for November 13, 2024.
QCS records show he is currently in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre.
NOVEMBER 22: KERRI-ANN CONLEY
Kerri-Ann Conley was sentenced to nine years jail in Brisbane Supreme Court last February for the manslaughter deaths of her two daughters.
Conley had left Darcey, aged two-and-a-half, and Chloe-Ann, aged 18 months, strapped inside their car seats for nine hours in temperatures as high as 61.5C.
Conley had called paramedics after retrieving their lifeless bodies and disposing of drug bags.
The court heard the Logan mum was regular user of crystal meth but told police her children ‘always came first’.
Taking into account 1179 days in pre-sentence custody, Conley’s parole eligibility date was set for November 22, 2024.
She is currently in custody at Brisbane Womens Correctional Centre.
DECEMBER 7: JAMES PATTENDEN
James Robert Pattenden is currently serving a nine year sentence for armed robbery and drug trafficking.
He pleaded guilty to both of those charges in the Rockhampton Supreme Court last May.
The court heard Pattenden had served as a scout and getaway driver at the armed robbery at Raffles Hotel in Berserker on December 29, 2021.
He had also trafficked meth and marijuana at a street level between December 2021 and March 2022.
Pattenden, who had a 10-page criminal history, had trafficked to fund his own habit and pay off debts, the court heard.
He is currently in custody at Capricornia Correctional Centre and will be eligible for parole on December 7.
Originally published as FULL LIST: Notorious Qld criminals eligible for parole in 2024
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