Axe murderer walks free
A TASMANIAN axe murderer who brutally attacked two young Hobart girls and slaughtered a 16-year-old in 1990, will be released from Risdon Prison on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Parole Board of Tasmania released its decision to parole the man – who was 16 and 17 when he committed the crimes – from September 2 for the term of his natural life.
The Mercury previously reported the man stabbed a 15year-old girl in 1989 as she walked along the East Derwent Highway.
A month later, he attacked a 12-year-old girl in a Bridgewater park, stabbing her with the same knife 23 times and hitting her on the head with a rock.
Both girls, who were strangers to him, survived.
But in October 1990, he struck a 16-year-old girl at least six times with an axe.
Her body was found two days later on a small farm plot near Moonah.
The man later pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder and the stabbing attack.
The Parole Board said the man became eligible for a parole order in October 2012, making four previous applications that had been approved before he made a fifth bid in August this year.
In 2012, a psychiatrist said the man did not seem to be of high risk of recidivism, but had to be considered at least a moderate risk.
He noted the man had “serious personality pathology” with a lack of empathy and emotional dysregulation.
A psychologist said in both 2013 and 2021 the man had a “very severe anti-social personality disorder” and had been assessed in the past as having “a high level of psychopathic traits”.
That psychologist did not support parole, noting the man still didn’t have insight into why he had committed the attacks.
The Parole Board noted his past refusals were because of his lack of an explanation for his crimes and his consequent failure to address the cause with therapy.
“Despite this block the applicant has not sought to change his story or to attempt to fabricate a cause merely to satisfy the board and enhance his prospects of a parole order,” it said in its decision.
“He has consistently asserted that he has no explanation as to why he acted in the way he did.”
The Parole Board said the 48-year-old had engaged in rehabilitative and educational programs, and worked in positions of trust while incarcerated, often outside the prison with little or no supervision and in the presence of women.
Some of those roles have included working with the Tasmanian Fire Service, at the Royal Botanical Gardens and Government House gardens, umpiring football within the community and helping at the RSPCA shelter.
The man was granted parole with the conditions he comply with a mental health plan, attend psychological counselling, not leave his place of residence between 8pm and 6am each day, not contact victims and be electronically monitored.