Third parole stint for woman involved in brutal manslaughter of drug associate

A woman involved in a violent Hobart death has been released from prison on parole for a third time, with plans to start a new life as a wife and grandmother.

Kylie Jane Hack has now been released from jail on parole over the Clarendon Vale manslaughter of Michelle Meades.

A woman involved in a violent Hobart death has been released from prison on parole for a third time, with plans to start a new life as a married woman and grandmother.

Kylie Jane Hack, now aged about 40, was convicted of the 2016 Clarendon Vale manslaughter of drug associate Michelle Meades.

Ms Meades was found deceased and tied up with rope in the closet of a burnt-out unit after being stabbed 20 times in the neck with nail scissors and hit over the head with a golf club.

Hack pleaded guilty to manslaughter after initially being charged with murder, and was jailed for a minimum of five-and-a-half years.

Two men at the scene also faced accessory charges, with one jailed and the charges against the other dropped, but it has always remained a mystery as to who in the trio struck the fatal blow.

The Clarendon Vale crime scene. Picture: Richard Jupe

In its newly-published decision, the Parole Board of Tasmania said Hack had a long history of trauma, drug use and crime, and that until recently, her history of trauma had remained untreated.

The board noted that Hack had assaulted Ms Meades, but did not intend to kill her – although she did not help the victim either, and stole her debit cards after her death.

It said her parole had been revoked twice before due to alcohol and drug use.

However, during Hack’s most recent stint in prison, she engaged in counselling with a drug and alcohol counsellor, engaged in therapy for her past trauma, and has been accepted into a community rehabilitation program.

Victim Michelle Louise Meades, 51, of Kingston.

The board also said Hack had contributed 33 hours of volunteer work to the Red Cross while in jail, and there was an opportunity to continue this upon her release.

She is also taking medication to help address her substance use problems.

“The applicant reported additional motivations this time around,” the board said.

“She is about to become a grandmother again and has recently become engaged. She reported her fiance is a good pro-social influence.”

Hack was released from the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison on June 24 with electronic monitoring, and will remain on parole until November 27 next year.

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