Murderer Danny Deacon planning to go on hunger strike in protest over court delay

CONVICTED murderer Danny Deacon is planning to stage a hunger strike over what he claims to be an unacceptable delay by the court determining whether he will get a fresh trial, sources say

Danny Deacon during an interview with Channel Nine Darwin. PICTURE: Nine News Darwin/NT Supreme Court

CONVICTED murderer Danny Deacon is planning to stage a hunger strike over what he claims to be an unacceptable delay by the court determining whether he will get a fresh trial, sources say.

Deacon, 48, is serving life in jail with a minimum 21-and-a-half year non-parole period for the cunning, calculated murder of his partner, Carlie Sinclair.

Sources told the NT News Deacon was planning to begin a hunger strike shortly, and is “outraged” by the two years the Court of Criminal Appeal has taken to determine his appeal.

Danny Deacon fronted a missing persons appeal for his partner, Carlie Sinclair, two weeks after he murdered her. PICTURE: Daniel Hartley-Allen

Deacon repeatedly confessed to undercover police that he killed Ms Sinclair and buried her in an unmarked grave in dense scrub off Mulgara Rd at Berry Springs in June 2013.

At trial, Deacon admitted to choking Ms Sinclair to death at the depot of his concreting business on the corner of the Stuart Hwy and Ross Smith Dr at Parap, but claimed he was “provoked” and acted in a moment of “rage” when she said she planned to leave him.

The precise details of the sophisticated undercover operation which led to Deacon’s arrest and conviction cannot be published, but Deacon’s barrister, Jon Tippett QC said in 2017 it involved “institutionalised deceit”, was “unfair” and “oppressive” and involved tricking his client into confessing.

Danny Deacon murdered Carlie Sinclair. PICTURE: Supplied

Deacon wants a fresh trial without any evidence of his multiple confessions.

If successful, Deacon’s appeal would likely curtail the activities of undercover police working to crack some of Australia’s toughest cold cases.

Mr Tippett argued unsuccessfully at trial the jury should have convicted Deacon of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Deacon’s appeal panel is made up of three Supreme Court judges — Chief Justice Michael Grant, Justice Stephen Southwood, and Acting Justice Trevor Riley, who is semi-retired and sits only part time.

Danny Deacon's lawyers Peter Maley with Jon Tippett QC.

NT Police at the bush grave where Danny Deacon buried Carlie Sinclair.

Prosecutors are also appealing Deacon’s sentence as “manifestly inadequate”, and claim he should serve longer than 21-and-a-half years behind bars before his release on parole.

A two-year delay to determine a complex criminal appeal is unusual but not unprecedented in the Northern Territory.

Last year, the Court of Criminal Appeal cleared an Indonesian man of illegal fishing charges more than two years after his appeal hearing.

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A Correctional Services spokeswoman said authorities could not divulge prisoners’ personal information, but said as of Thursday no inmates at Holtze Prison were on hunger strike.

Detectives Wade Jeremiah and Martin Dole interview Danny Deacon.

She said the department of health had plans in place to manage hunger strikers, including daily monitoring of their physical and mental health.

Hunger strikers could also be moved to hospital.

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A Supreme Court spokesman said in complex legal cases decisions could “take some time to be finalised”.

“The actions a particular prisoner may or may not take in prison do not impact on the speed at which decisions are made,” the spokesman said.