‘Evil’: Prisoners Review Board refuse parole for child killer Dante Arthurs

A man convicted of the “shocking and evil” murder of an eight-year-old girl has made a third attempt to be released on parole.

Child killer Dante Arthurs has made a third unsuccessful bid to be released on parole, with authorities finding he poses an unacceptable risk to the community.

Arthurs was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 for the “shocking and evil” rape and murder of eight-year old schoolgirl Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu.

Sofia went to the Livingston Marketplace in Canning Vale, in Perth’s southeast, with her family in June 2006 when Arthurs followed her to the toilet.

Schoolgirl Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu was murdered by Dante Arthurs inside a toilet cubicle at a shopping centre in Perth.

Arthurs, then aged 21 and working at the markets, grabbed Sofia and locked her in the disabled toilet.

Only 10 minutes later, the young schoolgirl was dead. Her brother discovered her body in the toilet cubicle as Arthurs fled the scene.

He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 13 years – a sentence that was strongly condemned by the public and led to law changes in Western Australia.

The non-parole period for murder was increased to carry a penalty of life imprisonment, and a distinction between murder and wilful murder was removed to only consider the charge of murder.

Never to be released sentences became available to all murders.

The Prisoners Review Board was required to consider Arthurs’ release from prison last Friday but refused his parole.

Attorney-General Tony Buti said Arthurs would remain in prison.

Arthurs poses an acceptable risk to the community, Attorney-General Tony Buti says. Picture: Andy Tyndall

“It is clear to me after reading the report, the release of Mr Arthurs into the community posed an unacceptable risk,” he said.

“This was a shocking and evil crime that shook all Western Australians to the core and still does today.

“It is impossible to comprehend the pain and suffering Sofia’s family has endured and are forced to live with every day and my thoughts are with them.

“I want to assure Western Australians that when making these decisions the concerns of the community are at the forefront of my considerations.”

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch previously told media that Arthurs should remain behind bars.

“I think people know me well enough to know what I think Dante Arthurs should be doing for the rest of his life,” he said.