Man who tortured woman released

Parole for second time

A LEFROY man who drove a woman to a secluded area of bushland before violently torturing her with a baseball bat and a meat tenderiser has been released from jail on parole.

Paul William Shaw, 30, has been in custody since December 2016 for the terrifying episode in which he headbutted the woman, forced her into his car against her will, and took her out to a dirt track, where he struck her repeatedly with the metal bat and smashed her hand with the meat tenderiser.

While sentencing, Supreme Court Justice Michael Brett condemned the “cruelty and brutality” of the September 2015 attack, which took place “over an extended period of time and in frightening circumstances”.

He noted Shaw that threatened to smash out the woman’s “pretty white teeth” and showed no humanity when it was obvious the victim thought she was going to die, asking him to tell her children she loved them.

Shaw was jailed for four years, with a non-parole period of 2½, after he pleaded guilty to wounding and five counts of assault.

In its recently published decision, the Parole Board of Tasmania noted Shaw had been previously granted parole — but his freedom was revoked in mid-2020 because of noncompliance and reports of new offending.

The Mercury reported at the time that Shaw was caught dealing drugs while on parole, dropping his mobile phone into a sink full of water in a bid to cover his tracks from police.

The Parole Board said since his return into custody, Shaw had been housed in minimum security at Risdon Prison and was employed as a general hand in the chill room.

It said even though concerns had been raised that Shaw could reoffend, his behaviour and attitude had demonstrated he would be able to comply with strict rules and conditions back in the community.

Shaw was granted parole as of January 27 this year, with conditions he not enter certain areas of Tasmania or contact the victim.