Parole board to soon make decision on Sian Kingi killer Barrie Watts

A decision on the possible parole of a man responsible for one of Queensland’s most revolting crimes is imminent.

Queensland’s parole board says it will be making a decision on Barrie Watts’ future “soon”, with the monster killer’s release understood to be unlikely.

The parents of 12-year-old Noosa schoolgirl Sian Kingi have been waiting since late last year to learn whether their daughter’s killer will be released from prison, with the Parole Board Queensland recently acknowledging it was experiencing lengthy delays due to a lack of funding and the heaviest workload in its history.

Watts abducted, raped and murdered Sian in 1987, attempted to abduct multiple other women – including nurses finishing late shift – and was tried but acquitted of the murder of student teacher Helen Feeney.

The murder of Sian, perpetrated by him and his wife Valmae Beck, was so horrific the sentencing judge said he should never be released. Beck died in prison.

“The circumstances of these offences are absolutely abhorrent and the murder and rape in particular were shocking and revolting crimes,” Justice Jack Kelly said in 1990.

Queensland’s parole board says a decision on the future of Barrie Watts, who abducted, raped and murdered Sian Kingi, is imminent.

“They show you to be a thoroughly evil man devoid of any sense of morality and it is obvious, in the interests of the community, that you be kept in prison for a very long time.

“Indeed, it is my opinion that you should never be released.

“The sentence for murder is life imprisonment and, in my view, in your case the sentence should mean just that.

“I accordingly do recommend … that you should never be released.”

More than 70,000 people signed an online petition in June in support of the Kingis, appealing for the Parole Board Queensland to keep Watts behind bars.

Shortly after, the State Government announced it was drafting new laws to keep the “worst of the worst” killers behind bars for longer.

The laws – aimed at child killers and those who have murdered multiple people – will give the president of the Parole Board Queensland the power to make a declaration stopping someone from applying for parole for up to 10 years after their eligibility date.

Multiple 10 year declarations can be made against the same killer.

It is understood that if Watts’ application is rejected, the new laws could be used to prevent him from reapplying for at least another decade.

A statement from the Parole Board Queensland said Watts’ application for parole had “progressed” and they were “confident of finalising the application soon”.

“The Board is confident of finalising the application soon, but we cannot confirm a timeline at this stage,” a board spokesperson said.

Sunshine Coast MP Dan Purdie, who helped facilitate the petition on behalf of the Kingis, said their pain and worry about the parole board’s decision was a terrible consequence of the backlog.

“The Kingis are an example of a family that have already gone through more trauma and turmoil and grief in their life than any family ever should,” he said.

“This system is broken – it’s failing families like the Kingis who should not go through any more grief than they have.

“It’s getting onto a year since they were notified that Barrie Watts applied for parole and they’ve been losing sleep ever since.

“The situation needs to be fixed so the Kingis can have an answer.”

Originally published as Parole board to soon make decision on Sian Kingi killer Barrie Watts