DANGEROUS PRISONER TO BE LET OUT

In the Australian State of New South Wales

The State Parole Authority knows sex-change killer Maddison Hall allegedly raped and sexually assaulted several fellow prisoners - but still wants to release her. The authority also brushed aside a psychiatrist's warning that it was likely Hall, 42, would re-offend "in a violent manner" after her release. The alleged jail assaults were even more serious because Hall knew she was HIV positive at the time, the SPA was told. A rape charge was dropped only because the victim left the country after being released from jail.

The mother of Lyn Saunders, who was shot dead by Hall in 1987 while hitchhiking home to Adelaide for Christmas, will today plead with the authority in person for the first time to keep her son's murderer locked up. "The wound is always open," Marrion Saunders has said in a victims impact statement.

The fumbling authority was ready to release Hall, previously known as Noel Crompton, last month but the accommodation organised for her through the state-funded Gender Centre fell through. After pressure from Ms Saunders, a secret hearing scheduled to reconsider the parole was cancelled and will be held in public today.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained a transcript of the authority's hearing in July when it ruled to release Hall back into society. It reveals the authority was given a chilling stocktake of Hall's predatory behaviour after she was moved to Mulawa women's jail in 1999. Although still a man, Hall was on hormone treatment. She had a sex change in May 2003. The authority was told:

- THE first rape allegation was made in 1999, after Hall arrived at Mulawa;

- OTHER inmates "stated they were forced into sexual intercourse while in a relationship" with Hall;

- IN late 2004 "two inmates alleged they had been sexually assaulted" by Hall;

- A THIRD inmate alleged she had witnessed "inappropriate sexual behaviour" by Hall; and

- PSYCHIATRIST Dr Michael Giuffria considered the allegations, while not proven, to be consistent with his assessment of Hall and rated her a moderate to high risk of reoffending.

Hall's release was strongly opposed by the state, with crown prosecutor Belinda Paxton telling the board Hall had done no violence prevention, anger management or pre-release programs and had no job to go to. Hall has been in segregation since late 2004 following the sexual assault claims. Hall's lawyer, Will Hutchins from the Prisoners Legal Service, played down the sexual assault and rape allegations and told the authority Hall had only been punished for nine offences during her 17 years in jail, none of them violent.

Hall made a short appearance at the hearing in July when she was asked just 11 cursory questions by her lawyer. Authority chairman, former chief magistrate Ian Pike, said the authority was releasing Hall because it believed public interest was better served by having her on parole than being in jail. He said she had community support and a post-release plan through the Gender Centre and Foley House.

Report here



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