Launceston murderer who killed stranger granted parole after 12 years behind bars

A man who killed a stranger on a Launceston suburban street, in a rage after driving into a wheelie bin, has been granted parole.

A PERTH man who murdered a Launceston stranger using an blockbuster handle with “not one iota of justification” has been granted parole from Risdon Prison.

Andrew John Semmens, now 40, murdered Nathan Woolley in December 2008 in the Launceston suburb of Ravenswood, beating the victim while two other men held him.

Semmens, who was cannabis and alcohol-affected, had lost his temper after hitting a wheelie bin with his four-wheel drive, driving down the closest driveway and bashing the occupant.

Mr Woolley died four days later, with Semmens found guilty of murder by a jury after a trial of nearly three weeks.

Andrew John Semmens

He was jailed for 20 years, with a non – parole period of 12 years and six months.

While sentencing, then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Ewan Crawford said the effect on the family of 31-year-old Mr Woolley had been “enormous”.

Murder victim Nathan Woolley, 31, of Ravenswood.

He said Semmens became angry when his car hit a wheelie bin in Warring Street, then looked to see “if he could exact vengeance on whoever had put the bin where he hit it”.

“There was not one iota of justification,” he said.

In its decision published this week, the Parole Board of Tasmania said the killing was part of an apparently random series of attacks carried out by Semmens and the other two men in a suburban street against strangers.

The board said Semmens had struggled while in custody, “cycling through security classifications which have seen him achieve minimum security several times, only to be returned to maximum” due to internal offending and being violent and threatening towards other inmates.

The front lawn of Nathan Woolley's Ravenswood home, where the attack occurred.

In 2019, Semmens committed a violent assault upon another inmate and was deemed as high-risk for violent recidivism, undergoing a 12-month treatment program.

The board noted his “core beliefs” and “inability to deal with emotions without restoring to anger or violence” remained an issue.

A psychological assessment said he was still at risk of impulsive, violent behaviour, however it also noted his attitude had seemingly shifted, having received treatment for historical trauma.

The board said with the support of his family and the boundaries provided by parole supervision with strict conditions – including electronic monitoring – Semmens had been assessed “as benefiting from a release to parole to assist in his rehabilitation and reintegration into the community”.

Semmens was paroled on May 10, under conditions he not contact his victims, enter certain suburban areas, or visit or enter any outlaw motorcycle gang clubs.

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