Douglas James Wade: Child killer, rapist can’t explain what triggered heinous attack

A vile child killer who raped and bludgeoned a 22-month-old girl to death was unable to answer a simple question as he made a bid for parole.

The child victim of Douglas James Wade. Picture: Supplied

An infamous child killer who murdered and raped a 22-month-old girl was unable to explain what triggered the sickening attack as he made a bid for parole after more than 30 years behind bars.

Douglas James Wade could be released after 32 years in jail for causing the girl’s horrific death at her home in the rural community of Tumut in 1988.

The former sheep shearer would be released to live on a property owned by his sister, who has pledged to support him.

Wade told the State Parole Authority on Friday he agreed the violent murder was a crime of the “most reprehensible kind” but maintained his longstanding denial of sexually assaulting the infant.

Wade is being held at Kirkconnell Correctional Centre, a minimum security facility for men 30km east of Bathurst.

The panel, chaired by Justice Graham Barr, heard the girl died from a haemorrhage to her colon consistent with “many blows the child’s stomach”.

Dialling in from Kirkconnell Correctional Centre, Wade said he had avoided violence during his decades in prison and “never ever” wanted to be sent back to jail.

It was “upsetting” to think of the child and her disturbing death, the 57-year-old said.

“It disgusts me, to be charged with something like that … there would be a lot of hatred towards myself (from the girl’s family),” he said.

When asked what he would say to her loved ones he said: “I’d say sorry. It’s just a word. It’s nothing that’s going to bring (her) back.”

Victims Advocate Howard Brown does not believe Wade has insight into his crimes. Pictures: Justin Lloyd

Crown prosecutor Jillian Caldwell asked Wade if he could explain in his own words what triggered him to bludgeon the child.

After a long pause and a deep breath he replied: “It’s something I can’t do.”

Ms Caldwell told the panel Wade once confided in a psychologist that it was a “spur of the moment” attack, a “tired” reaction to the child spilling an ashtray full of cigarette butts onto a coffee table.

She said it was especially concerning that Wade committed the “heinous” offences with no history of mental illness or a troubled past.

“Mr Wade had a stable and happy upbringing,” she said.

Wade’s lawyer Ruth Layton put her client’s inability to explain himself down to nerves and a lack of sophistication.

“He’s not an articulate man,” she said. “He has feelings, he’s written those down and I’d ask the authority to place more weight on those.”

The hearing was before the SPA court at Sydney West Trial Courts in Parramatta. Picture: AAP Image/ Justin Sanson

Wade was 25 when he was sentenced to life in prison for the girl’s murder in 1989 but a successful appeal in 2013 saw his jail term reduced to 36 years, with a non-parole period of 26 years.

With four years left on his head sentence he would be released on raft of conditions including electronic monitoring, to regularly see personal and department psychologists, not to go near child’s family or enter the Yass Valley, Snowy Valley and Queanbeyan-Palerang local government areas.

He would also not be allowed in the presence of anyone under 16 unless accompanied by another adult.

Howard Brown, the Victims Advocate, told media outside he believed Wade had “no insight” into his crimes.

“We’ve been fighting his release for a number of years now,” he said.

Mr Brown was concerned about Wade’s “complete denial” of the sexual assault after having completed the Denier’s rehabilitation course in jail.

“How do you rehabilitate someone who is not willing to take full responsibility for their actions,” he said.

“They must have insight and consciousness as to what they have done in order to prevent them from doing it again.

“He does not have that insight. That’s the concern.”

Wade first became eligible for parole in 2014 and was denied release that year and at his second attempt in 2015.

In recent years he has been allowed on electronically monitored leave from prison for work and over Christmas, without incident.

The panel has reserved its decision.