Victims’ families urge MPs to back law to keep Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer in jail

Families of the victims of Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer are personally lobbying MPs to back a new law to keep him locked up for life.

Families of the victims of serial killer Paul Denyer are personally lobbying MPs urging them to back a new law keeping him behind bars for life.

The state opposition is pushing for a new law mirroring those which prevent Hoddle St killer Julian Knight and Russell St bomber Craig Minogue from ever being released.

Both those men have been deemed ineligible for parole unless on their deathbeds or so infirm they are deemed harmless.

A Bill before the upper house proposes imposing identical conditions on any future bid for release by Denyer, who was last month refused parole.

Daniel Andrews has ruled out backing the law to keep Denyer behind bars, despite Labor backing similar laws under his leadership while in government and when in opposition.

However if the Bill was to pass the upper house, the government would come under increased pressure to support the move.

Paul Denyer was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 30 years in 1993 the murders of three Victorian women.

Families of the women killed by Denyer have been personally lobbying upper house crossbenchers in a bid to secure the extra seven votes the opposition needs for the Bill to pass.

Deputy leader of the opposition in the Upper House Matt Bach told parliament the Bill was would ensure the protection of the community from Denyer.

“Mr Denyer committed some of the most heinous crimes in the history of Victoria. Victorians should rightly expect that the government of the day should do whatever is possible to ensure he is never released,” he said.

“With this bill, the Liberals and Nationals are seeking to deliver that certainty to Victorians.

“In addition, this bill will provide certainty to the families of Mr Denyer’s victims, who have already been through hell and for whom ongoing uncertainty about Mr Denyer’s imprisonment is deeply and needlessly traumatic.

“With this bill, the Victorian community can be certain that it is protected from the possibility that Paul Denyer will one day be free to commit another atrocity or further atrocities.

“With this bill, families who have suffered unimaginably, families who have received the worst phone call you could ever receive, families who have endured and who continue to endure unspeakable grief, will at least know that the man who murdered their loved ones will remain in jail, where he belongs.”

Daniel Andrews says he believes it’s ‘highly unlikely’ the Adult Parole Board will consider another parole application from Denyer. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Denyer was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 30 years in 1993 for the Frankston murders that year of student ­Elizabeth Anne-Marie Stevens, 18, mother Debbie Fream, 22, and schoolgirl Natalie Russell, 17.

He was initially sentenced to life in jail with no prospect of release, but appealed and got a 30-year minimum term.

Ruling out support for the Bill Mr Andrews said he believed it highly unlikely” the Adult Parole Board would consider another parole application from Denyer.

“I think we can all have confidence in the Adult Parole Board to do their work and to do it properly,” the Premier said last month.

“They’ve determined he is an ongoing risk and they would not, as I understand it, would not entertain another application for parole unless there was a material change in circumstance.

“My confidence is not so much in Liberal Party motions or Bills that are brought to the parliament.

“My confidence is in the Adult Parole Board and they have looked at it very, very carefully and they have made what I think is the right decision.”