Outback child murderer who drowned girl in 1998 will remain behind bars until at least 2024

AN outback child murderer, who drowned a girl in the muddy bank of a swimming hole in 1998, will remain behind bars until at least 2024

An outback child murderer who drowned a child in 1998 will remain behind bars until at least 2024

AN OUTBACK child murderer, who drowned a child in the muddy bank of a swimming hole at Hermannsburg in 1998, will remain behind bars until at least 2024.

Shaun Hudson, now 38, was in 1999 found guilty of murdering a six-year-old girl during one of his almost-daily petrol sniffing sessions, and was sentenced to jail under the “life means life” murder laws in place at the time.

Hudson, who has now been in jail for more than half his life, was automatically handed a 20-year non-parole period when the Martin Labor government in 2004 abolished the controversial “life means life”.

But Justice Stephen Southwood on Monday agreed with an application made by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jack Karczewski QC, who argued the murder Hudson committed deserved a longer non-parole period.

Mr Karczewski said the murder was aggravated because, among other things, Hudson murdered the girl in front of other children and that she was unable to defend herself.

Defence lawyer Marty Aust agreed Hudson’s non-parole period would have to be revised upwards to 25 years because he had raped the girl during his attack on her, but said Hudson’s youth, sniffing-induced brain damage and relatively minor previous criminal record meant there was no need for him to serve longer behind bars.

Hudson’s most serious previous offences involved breaking into shops to steal food and, once, throwing his shoe at a police officer.

Mr Aust also said Hudson had admitted his actions at trial and had not required any eyewitnesses to give evidence.

In setting a new non-parole period of 26 years, Justice Southwood said the murder Hudson committed was “one of the most heinous crimes” on record.

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“He has now, in effect been in prison for more than half his life,” Justice Southwood said.

Justice Southwood said Hudson would also have to convince the Parole Board he could be released safely.

The same law which abolished “life means life” sentences for murder places a stricter test on murderers wanting release on parole.

Hudson, when he comes up for parole in 2024, will have to unanimously convince a 10-person Parole Board that he will not be a danger to the community if he is allowed into the community.

Justice Southwood said Corrections should take steps to help Hudson adjust to life outside jail ahead of his potential release, including having him spend time in the community under appropriate supervision.