This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/mar/09/parole-system-failings-laid-foundation-for-irish-murders-says-documentary
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Irish documentary takes aim at parole system after Jill Meagher murder | Irish documentary takes aim at parole system after Jill Meagher murder |
| (6 months later) | |
| An Irish television documentary has taken aim at Victoria’s parole system, saying failings in the system “laid the foundation” for the murders of three Irish nationals within 12 months in Melbourne. | An Irish television documentary has taken aim at Victoria’s parole system, saying failings in the system “laid the foundation” for the murders of three Irish nationals within 12 months in Melbourne. |
| Irish backpacker David Greene, 30, died in hospital 12 days after being bashed and repeatedly stomped on the head by Australian Luke Wentholt at a St Kilda boarding house on 26 August 2013. | Irish backpacker David Greene, 30, died in hospital 12 days after being bashed and repeatedly stomped on the head by Australian Luke Wentholt at a St Kilda boarding house on 26 August 2013. |
| Less than a month later, on 22 September, ABC staffer Jill Meagher, 29, was raped and murdered by Adrian Ernest Bayley while walking home from a pub in the inner-north suburb of Brunswick. | Less than a month later, on 22 September, ABC staffer Jill Meagher, 29, was raped and murdered by Adrian Ernest Bayley while walking home from a pub in the inner-north suburb of Brunswick. |
| Almost 10 months after that, on 12 July, 2013, shop owner Dermot O’Toole, 64, was fatally stabbed and his wife, Bridget, severely wounded by Gavin Perry during an armed robbery at the O’Tooles’ jewellery store in the outer Melbourne suburb of Hastings. | Almost 10 months after that, on 12 July, 2013, shop owner Dermot O’Toole, 64, was fatally stabbed and his wife, Bridget, severely wounded by Gavin Perry during an armed robbery at the O’Tooles’ jewellery store in the outer Melbourne suburb of Hastings. |
| All three killers later pleaded guilty to murder, and all had previously spent time in prison for serious crimes. | All three killers later pleaded guilty to murder, and all had previously spent time in prison for serious crimes. |
| The documentary Murder in Melbourne, which aired on public broadcaster RTE this week, focused on the campaign by Bridget O’Toole to get tougher sentencing and tighter restrictions on parole in Victoria. | The documentary Murder in Melbourne, which aired on public broadcaster RTE this week, focused on the campaign by Bridget O’Toole to get tougher sentencing and tighter restrictions on parole in Victoria. |
| O’Toole recounted Perry’s “unmerciful screaming” as he attacked her, and the sound of the plate-glass cabinet that “exploded like a bomb” when she was thrown into it as Perry turned his attention on Dermot. | O’Toole recounted Perry’s “unmerciful screaming” as he attacked her, and the sound of the plate-glass cabinet that “exploded like a bomb” when she was thrown into it as Perry turned his attention on Dermot. |
| “I have fallen over and I see him attacking Dermot,” she said. “Dermot is defenceless on the ground, and he has stood over Dermot ... and he has plunged a knife into him. | “I have fallen over and I see him attacking Dermot,” she said. “Dermot is defenceless on the ground, and he has stood over Dermot ... and he has plunged a knife into him. |
| “When Dermot got up off the floor and he stood in front of me … he was ashen and he said to me ‘call an ambulance, I’ve been stabbed’.” | “When Dermot got up off the floor and he stood in front of me … he was ashen and he said to me ‘call an ambulance, I’ve been stabbed’.” |
| Perry, who fled after stabbing Dermot, was five months into a two-year parole period for a string of armed robberies, the supreme court later heard. He was sentenced to 27 years in jail, with a non-parole period of 23 years. | Perry, who fled after stabbing Dermot, was five months into a two-year parole period for a string of armed robberies, the supreme court later heard. He was sentenced to 27 years in jail, with a non-parole period of 23 years. |
| The Victorian parole system was overhauled in the wake of public outrage following Meagher’s death, which prompted thousands of people to March through the streets of Melbourne to protest violence against women. | The Victorian parole system was overhauled in the wake of public outrage following Meagher’s death, which prompted thousands of people to March through the streets of Melbourne to protest violence against women. |
| When he killed Meagher, 43-year-old Bayley was on parole for an 11-year sentence for raping five women in Elwood. He has since been found guilty of three more rapes committed while on parole in the months between his release from prison and his arrest for Meagher’s murder. | When he killed Meagher, 43-year-old Bayley was on parole for an 11-year sentence for raping five women in Elwood. He has since been found guilty of three more rapes committed while on parole in the months between his release from prison and his arrest for Meagher’s murder. |
| Judge Geoffrey Nettle, who sentenced Bayley to life imprisonment with 35 years non-parole for the rape and murder of Meagher, said his crime was “particularly heinous as you hid the body and were on parole at the time”. | Judge Geoffrey Nettle, who sentenced Bayley to life imprisonment with 35 years non-parole for the rape and murder of Meagher, said his crime was “particularly heinous as you hid the body and were on parole at the time”. |
| Then premier Denis Napthine said “the system failed” Meagher and pledged Victoria would have the toughest parole laws in the country, commissioning former high court judge Ian Callinan to review the parole system. Callinan recommended a suite of changes, including a recommendation that violent offenders only be released on parole if they posed a “negligible risk”. That recommendation was not adopted, but the majority of the 23 recommendations have been implemented. | Then premier Denis Napthine said “the system failed” Meagher and pledged Victoria would have the toughest parole laws in the country, commissioning former high court judge Ian Callinan to review the parole system. Callinan recommended a suite of changes, including a recommendation that violent offenders only be released on parole if they posed a “negligible risk”. That recommendation was not adopted, but the majority of the 23 recommendations have been implemented. |
| In October, a report by the Victorian ombudsman found that the parole conditions were now considered so strict that prisoners were choosing not to apply for parole. | In October, a report by the Victorian ombudsman found that the parole conditions were now considered so strict that prisoners were choosing not to apply for parole. |
| Victorian victims of crime commissioner Greg Davies told the documentary that despite the death of three Irish nationals, “the reality is, Victoria is an incredibly safe place to live”. | Victorian victims of crime commissioner Greg Davies told the documentary that despite the death of three Irish nationals, “the reality is, Victoria is an incredibly safe place to live”. |
| “Statistics are less than one murder to every 100,000 people, that makes it a very safe place, but it has some bad people,” he said. | “Statistics are less than one murder to every 100,000 people, that makes it a very safe place, but it has some bad people,” he said. |