By Riley Walter and Perry Duffin
The husband of a celebrated police officer bashed over the head with a brick and left for dead has lashed the state’s parole authority, accusing it of playing “Russian roulette with the community” after his wife’s attacker was arrested on domestic violence charges months after he was released from jail.
Former police sergeant Samantha Barlow pleaded with authorities to keep Roderick Holohan, 55, behind bars before he was released from Long Bay jail in November. A legal loophole left Barlow in the dark about her attacker’s release until days before he was granted parole.
Police allege Holohan jumped a back fence and fled when officers arrived to speak with him this week. Credit: Seven News
Holohan bashed off-duty officer Barlow over the head with a brick while she walked through Kings Cross on her way to work in 2009, robbing the police sergeant of $200 for a hit of heroin and leaving her for dead.
Holohan was arrested in Bomaderry on Monday morning and charged after allegedly threatening and intimidating a 51-year-old woman known to him. The alleged incident is unrelated to the attack on Barlow.
Police allege Holohan jumped a back fence and fled when officers arrived to speak with him about the alleged incident. Police dogs, a helicopter and firefighters were deployed to locate Holohan, who was found hiding behind bushes in the front yard of a nearby home and arrested around 1.45am.
Speaking on the 16th anniversary of the attack on Tuesday, Barlow’s husband, Laurence, launched a blistering attack on the NSW State Parole Authority, labelling it a joke and calling for each member’s resignation.
Samantha Barlow’s husband, Laurence, has lashed the state’s parole authority.Credit: Janie Barrett
“We told absolutely anyone who would listen that if he was let out, he [would] reoffend,” Laurence told 2GB.
“They are a joke. They were warned. They refused to listen. If he has injured somebody, the parole authority now has blood on their hands, and if he hasn’t injured somebody, well, then they’ve dodged a bullet.”
Laurence said he and his wife were relieved Holohan was back in custody, but that “it doesn’t feel like a victim should be right about this one”.
Holohan was refused bail in Nowra Local Court on Monday and will reappear in the same court on May 27 on two counts of stalking or intimidating intending fear or physical harm (domestic).
The Herald can confirm police will allege Holohan had met the woman while on a work placement as part of his reintegration into society.
Police say the woman was hoping to help Holohan, who had arrived in Nowra amid a media storm. Locals had expressed anger that he had been allowed to live in the regional town.
“The process to revoke his parole commenced immediately,” a statement from the State Parole Authority said on Monday.
“Irrespective of any application for bail, Holohan will remain in custody on the revocation of parole order until such time as all outstanding charges are dealt with.”
His total sentence will expire on February 13, 2029.
Barlow was unaware Holohan would be paroled until being notified by a friend in October. The Barlows were not formally advised of Holohan’s parole hearing until four days prior, due to cracks in the Corrective Services NSW Victims Register.
The register works on an opt-in basis, meaning victims of violent crime need to sign up to the scheme. The Barlows were never enrolled in the registry and claim they were never made aware of its existence.
“There are no words that can accurately describe the sense of betrayal that comes from something like this,” Barlow told the Herald at the time.
Last year, NSW Premier Chris Minns said Attorney-General Michael Daley would seek “advice about potential avenues for appeal” against Holohan’s parole. But that appeal was abandoned because the government found no error was made by the judge who released Holohan.
After the Herald’s revelations, Minns and Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong vowed to fix a flaw in the register that meant no single agency was responsible for notifying victims when their attackers were due for parole.
Last week, the Minns government introduced legislation to parliament that stopped short of applying an opt-out model, but which ensures victims receive a “mandatory notification” about their right to sign up.
A joint statement released by Daley and Chanthivong said eligible victims of serious offenders will be notified about the relevant register and their eligibility to opt in.
If they are unsure of their wishes, they can choose to be contacted later to discuss registering.
Chanthivong used ministerial discretion to direct the Victims Registry to contact the Barlows on Monday
If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114, beyondblue on 1800 512 348, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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