MEDIA STATEMENT REGARDING HUNTERS HILL ATTACK

 

Last night a young woman was attacked at a bus stop in Hunters Hill. An alleged offender has now been charged with a range of offences in connection to the incident.

 

“I thank members of the publics for their vigilance and police for their quick response to this terrifying incident,” Attorney General and the Minister for Justice Greg Smith SC said today.

 

“This matter raises some serious matters, and I have already asked my department for an urgent briefing about the case.”

 

“I am advised he was released to parole in August last year after being refused parole on six different occasions between 2005 and 2010. His15-year non-parole period expired 13 Jan, 2005.”

 

“He had served 22 and a half years of a 24 year sentence. He had almost seven months remaining on his balance of parole.”

 

“The State Parole Authority originally decided to grant parole after considering submissions from the Serious Offenders Review Council and the victim’s family.”

 

“The State Parole Authority has immediately revoked the alleged offender’s parole this morning,” Mr Smith said.

 

“In light of recent events in Victoria, last week I asked Corrective Services NSW for a review of the handling of serious sex offenders on parole. This review has now been widened to include the handling of serious offenders whose offence had a sexual component.”

 

“Earlier this year, I also asked the Law Reform Commission to review our parole system to see how we can do better. This will be a detailed and broad review,” Mr Smith said.

 

“We are tough on violent offenders and to protect the community we have introduced laws that can keep repeat serious violent offenders in custody or under supervision beyond the end of their sentence. Laws allowing the detention or extended supervision of serious sex offenders have already existed for several years.”

20 June 2013