Talking Point: A monster behind bars but families suffer on

NINA FUNNELL details the horror of a night 34 years ago that still resonates with one Tasmanian family.

IT’S difficult to imagine a more obscene, savage or senseless crime than that which occurred 34 years ago to this day to Tameka Ridgeway, 17, and her 22-year-old fiance, Dean Allan Allie.

Tragically, the last night the engaged couple spent happily together was the night of Valentine’s Day, 1986.

At 8am the next day, they awoke as Jamie John Curtis and a 16-year-old accomplice broke into their flat.

The next 12 hours is the stuff of nightmares. Tameka was repeatedly raped by both assailants while Dean was beaten, bound and scalded with boiling water.

The couple were abducted, held hostage, and tortured with a chainsaw, for Curtis’s amusement. Tameka was locked in the boot of the car, while Curtis and his accomplice took turns stabbing Dean to death just metres away.

Chief Justice Cox later described Curtis’s conduct as “unprovoked, brutal, prolonged, indiscriminate, and callous” adding “in the scale of seriousness of criminal conduct culminating in murder, this case ranks amongst the worst one is likely to encounter”.

Yet despite being labelled a “psychopath” and “sentenced to imprisonment for the term of his natural life”, in June 2018 Curtis was released on parole. Within weeks, the 1.8m tall, heavily tattooed killer had set up a prohibited Facebook account under the alias Steve Johnson. He joined dating sites including eHarmony, Plenty of Fish, Be Naughty, Naughty Date, Zoosk and Be2.

By October, he was back in jail after police took out a restraining order against him, fearful he would kill a woman he met on a dating website.

Papers lodged with the Magistrates Court show the woman told family members that Curtis had “flipped out” when she said she was wanted to leave, telling her “do you think I’m that f...ing silly, you’re not leaving”.

The documents detailed injuries to the woman, including swelling on the woman’s jaw, right cheek and right eye, and a large bruise, but she blamed “Sambuca shots” for the injuries.

Sexual assault victim Tameka Ridgeway for Let Her Speak campaign. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Now, Tameka and Dean’s sister are calling for Curtis to be kept permanently behind bars, saying they live in permanent fear he will kill somebody.

“Last time he got out, my life stopped. His freedom ended my freedom,” says Tameka. “I have suffered extreme PTSD for 34 years as a result of Jamie John Curtis’s heinous crime. Now every time he applies for parole I relive the torture with severe impacts on my family.”

Tameka says life imprisonment should be for life. Under Tasmanian law, a prisoner will only be deemed “never to be released” if they are declared a “dangerous criminal”. This removes all possibility of parole.

In Tasmania, there have been 13 applications for an individual prisoner to be declared a dangerous criminal. Of those, nine were successful.

Such measures will always be controversial, as it is an incredibly serious undertaking to permanently deprive any human of their liberty.

In recent years, the laws have become controversial for another reason — because, in order for a prisoner to be declared a dangerous criminal, it is a requirement that only the original sentencing judge can hear and approve the application. In cases where the original sentencing judge is now deceased or retired, there is simply no way for the application to be considered.

In Curtis’s case, the sentencing judge, Chief Justice Cox, resigned in 2004 to become state governor. He is now retired, having served the community admirably over several decades.

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This means that if a dangerous criminal application was made, there would be no judge to hear it.

“The situation is ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous,” says Tameka. “The requirement that only the original judge can hear the application creates a loophole which can be exploited by dangerous criminals like Curtis.

“Criminals can slip through the cracks. This places the community at increased risk.”

The State Government last year called for submissions on proposed amendments to the Dangerous Criminals and High Risk Offenders Bill. Submissions closed yesterday.

Tameka’s submission argued in favour of the Government’s proposals.

A spokesman said the Government’s amendments would address Tameka’s concerns and “allow another judge, other than the sentencing judge, to hear an application for a dangerous criminal declaration”.

Meanwhile, Tameka and Dean’s surviving family are doing the best they can.

Nina Funnell is the creator of the #LetHerSpeak campaign in partnership with Marque Lawyers and End Rape On Campus Australia. You can donate to the campaign at the #LetHerSpeak GoFundMe.