Accused cop killer denies Silk-Miller murders

Jason Roberts has made his third bid for bail in less than a year as he maintains his innocence in the murders of police officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller.

Accused double-cop killer Jason Roberts has admitted committing 10 armed robberies before answering “not guilty” to the Silk-Miller police murders.

Roberts answered guilty 10 times as the separate armed robbery charges were read out during his Supreme Court arraignment on Thursday.

He then denied killing Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller, who were on duty in Moorabbin in 1998.

The special arraignment came at the end of Roberts’ third bid for bail in less than a year.

The 41-year-old, who has spent the past 21 years in prison, had his convictions over the 1998 police killings quashed last November. A retrial was ordered after the discovery of a doctored police statement, unearthed by the Herald Sun after being hidden for 19 years.

In 2002, he and Bandali Debs were convicted of the killings. Debs is set to be a prosecution witness against Roberts at the February retrial.

Jason Roberts had his convictions over the 1998 police killings quashed last November.

Roberts’ barrister, David Hallowes SC, told the court his clients’ circumstances had substantially changed since he first applied for bail.

Mr Hallowes said Covid-19 prison restrictions had caused his client personal hardship and affected his mental health. He was also suffering stress due to his impending retrial.

Forensic psychologist Dr Matthew Barth told the court Roberts needed weekly treatment for his anxiety and depression. He also told the court Roberts had an “adjustment disorder” and was having “persecutory thoughts”.

“He has real fluctuations in his moods,” said Dr Barth, adding that Roberts’ access to treatment would be better if released into the community.

Roberts has been an inmate held within the Acacia unit – an isolation wing – of Barwon Prison for the past eight of his 21 years behind bars.

“It’s not pleasant. It’s not meant to be,” Dr Barth said.

Prosecutor Ben Ihle QC opposed Roberts’ latest bail bid, saying he did not meet the “exceptional circumstances” test.

Mr Ihle questioned Dr Barth on whether Roberts’ stress was due to feelings of being “demoralised” by Debs, whom he saw as a “father figure”, becoming a prosecution witness.

“He would be upset by it,” Dr Barth said. “He may feel betrayed. I may be wrong.”

Mr Ihle said Corrections Victoria had offered him alternatives while on remand, in­cluding medium-security jails.

But Roberts had rejected those offers and wished to remain in the Acacia unit where he had larger cell, a computer and a veggie patch. Justice Stephen Kaye reserved his decision for a later date.