Allan government urged to close legal loophole that cuts prison time for violent offenders

Families of some of the state’s most high-profile victims of violence want prisoners to be stripped of a controversial perk that can shave more than a year off their minimum sentences.

The Allan government is facing mounting calls to close a legal loophole that is shaving more than a year off murderers and rapists minimum sentences.

Families of some of the state’s most high profile victims want violent offenders to be stripped of the controversial prison perk after their loved ones’ killers were granted up to 14 months off their sentences.

Prisoners can receive up to four “emergency management days” or EMDs for every day that there is an emergency or disruption in jail.

Government figures show that between just July 2020 and June 2022 convicted criminals had more than 1000 years – 367,684 days – wiped off the sentences.

The Allan government is facing mounting calls to close the legal loophole. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Boyd Unwin, pictured with his daughter Bianca, lost his daughter Katie Haley, who was beaten to death by her partner. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The Herald Sun can reveal Celeste Manno’s killer, who broke into her Mernda home and stabbed her to death in 2020, received more than 11 weeks – 79 days – off his prison sentence due to lockdowns while he was in custody.

Celeste’s mother, Aggie Di Mauro, said she was “furious” to learn his sentence had been reduced.

“Here I am fighting for mandatory life sentences for murderers, and we’ve got a government that’s allowing them days off their sentences because of the hardship they experienced during lockdown,” she said.

“What the hell! Hardship is having to live without your daughter!”

The father and sister of slain Melbourne mum Katie Haley, Boyd and Bianca Unwin, have led the battle to ban EMDs for serious offenders after being notified her killer had more than a year sliced off his sentence.

Celeste Manno’s mother, Aggie Di Mauro, was ‘furious’ to learn his sentence had been reduced. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In just the first six years of his prison term, Shane Robertson has already had 427 days wiped off his 19-year minimum sentence for the 2018 murder of his partner.

Katie was savagely beaten to death with a 40cm dumbbell bar by Robertson while their 11-month-old daughter slept in the next room.

Her family is now fearing that Robertson could be released before the little girl, who is now aged seven, reaches her 18th birthday.

“My granddaughter is going to be over 18 when he gets out if he gets no more days, but if there’s another pandemic or an industrial dispute and he gets more days, where does that leave us?” Mr Unwin said.

“And we have to explain that to her.”

The Unwins said they were warned by the government not to share details of Roberton’s sentence discount, and have been refused a breakdown for the 427-day reduction.

Murdered Melbourne mother Katie Haley.

Boyd and Bianca have been working with the opposition to call on the Allan government to remove serious offenders eligibility for emergency management days. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Matt Cronin, whose son Pat was killed in a coward punch attack in 2016, called on the Allan government to strip all offenders of EMDs.

“He got 19 days off his sentence, and we never got any other days with Pat,” he said.

“Five years of jail time was already pitiful.”

“It’s another kick in the guts.”

In 2021, as offenders racked up EMDs due to Covid, the Australian parliament passed legislation to remove eligibility for federal prisoners locked up in Victoria.

The Bill noted that more than 340 days were shaved off the sentence of a terrorism-related prisoner while on remand, while more than 300 days were also granted to a child sex offender.

Matt Cronin, whose son Pat was killed in a coward punch attack in 2016, wants the Allan government to strip all offenders of EMDs. Picture: Jason Edwards

Assistant shadow minister for victims of family violence Renee Heath led a debate in parliament after receiving more than 6000 signatures on a petition calling for the removal of violent and high-risk state prisoners’ eligibility for EMDs.

The upper house Liberal MP said the special days off were “nothing short of disgraceful”.

“The inconvenience experienced by prisoners pales into insignificance when it comes to the loss that people like Katie’s family and communities have suffered,” she said.

Corrections Minister Enver Erdogan defended the controversial law in parliament, which was introduced in the 1990s, saying the impacts of the pandemic were “no less felt in the prison system”.

The state government refused to provide any figures, including how many prisoners had received a discount of more than a year.

Prisoners are still required to apply to the Adult Parole Board which must take into consideration the view of impacted family members.

A Victorian government spokesman said emergency management days, which were automatically applied for Covid, were now assessed on an individual basis.

Originally published as Allan government urged to close legal loophole that cuts prison time for violent offenders