Adrian Bayley has his sentenced reduced after winning an appeal against a rape conviction
THE monster who raped and murdered Irish woman Jill Meagher has cleared his name on another rape conviction and will serve less time in jail.
SERIAL sex offender Adrian Bayley has cleared his name on a rape conviction and will serve less time in jail.
Bayley, who raped and murdered Irish woman Jill Meagher in Brunswick in September 2012, appealed two convictions over rapes in 2000 and 2012.
Bayley, 44, was attempting to shorten his non-parole period of 43 years.
Victorian Court of Appeal justices Marilyn Warren, Mark Weinberg and Phillip Priest on Wednesday reduced his sentence to 40 years, acquitted him of a rape conviction, and dismissed his appeal against the other rape conviction.
Bayley was convicted of raping a sex worker in St Kilda in 2000. She was just 18 years old and attacked in a laneway.
He was identified as the rapist through two photos, but defence barrister Saul Holt argued the photos were taken 11 years after the crime.
The victim came forward after she saw his photo when he was arrested for the murder of Ms Meagher.
Mr Holt said picture evidence and other evidence put forward suggesting Bayley owned a red Mini Minor that was involved in the incident was not strong enough.
The second conviction over the 2012 rape of a Dutch backpacker, rested on a combination of
opportunity evidence, which raised a “red flag” about the crown case, according to Mr Holt.
The defence barrister acted pro bono for Bayley at his appeal.