Family flees after killer released
Seven News can exclusively reveal a mentally ill killer once considered to be a risk to the community has been granted day release after just four years at Wolston Park.
His victim's family has fled Brisbane because they believe he will kill again.
"He stabbed an innocent woman in her home and then went on to try and stab and brutally murder the two children that were in the house," Says Shane, who is still clearly heavily affected by the passing of his wife.
The killer planned his attack - he even bought a samurai sword, and in the October of 2007 he unleashed.
The marijuana addict stabbed his Brisbane neighbour five times - her young children were attacked too.
"His intention that day was to take my whole family out of the picture," Shane said.
"Just looking in their eyes you can see how traumatic it was for them.
Considered a danger to the community and unfit to stand trial, he was committed to a mental facility, but after just four years he has been granted unsupervised day release.
"Annoyed, pissed off, angry. Very, very angry because it's been such a short time that he's been in there," says Shane when asked how he feels about the decision.
"Our group has a much lower recidivism rate than people who go through the corrective services system and they do so because we monitor them very effectively," Executive Director of Mental Health, Dr Bill Kingswell said.
But according to the homicide victim's support group, offenders know how to work the system.
"I believe (offenders) can (manipulate the system) and I think this is the part that scares the public," Ross Thompson from Homicide Victims' Support Group said.
Legally Seven News can't identify the killer. He's protected under the Mental Health Act. The victim's family says the law must be changed to protect the community instead.
The Newman Government is introducing new laws so patients can be fitted with GPS tracking devices.
A review of release processes is also underway.
"For my whole family I fear the gravest of fears. They don't need to be put through this. They should not have to live life having to look over their shoulder all the time. We don't even know what he looks like," Shane said.
