Cross-dressing serial killer Reginald Arthurell remains behind bars because he doesn’t want to be released into an aged care home. The State Parole Authority was due to discuss his released on parole today but is waiting for an aged care assessment report before deciding on the conditions of his release. Arthurell, 75, who has previously served time for two counts of manslaughter and is currently in jail for murdering a woman who befriended him, did not appear before the authority when it sat in Parramatta today. He was jailed for 24 years with a minimum of 18 for bludgeoning Venet Raylee Mulhall, 54, to death in her Coonabarabran home in February 1995 and his total sentence runs out in May next year. He has already been out on a day release a number of times but that has stopped because of the COVID-19 lockdown. SPA chair Judge David Frearson today adjourned Arthurell’s parole hearing to September 10 so the report on his assessment for aged care can be completed. When he is released on parole, he will have to live in SPA-approved accommodation whether an aged care home or a halfway house. He had served time for the manslaughter of a teenage sailor in the Northern Territory and for the manslaughter of his stepfather in NSW before Ms Mullhall, a devout Christian, met him during her prison visits. He had been released to live with Ms Mulhall after his minimum term of four and half years ended for the manslaughter of his stepfather. The Supreme Court judge who had sentenced him to the minimum term said he had been impressed by evidence that Arthurell had become a Christian which had “liberated him from the mindset and oppression of the past so that he is growing into a more caring, gentle and loving person”. Four years after his release he bashed Ms Mulhall over the head with a piece of wood when she would not give him her car. He also dressed up in her clothes and took photographs of himself obtained by Ms Mulhall’s grieving brother Peter Quinn and has since asked to be recognised as a woman although he is in a male jail.
July 15, 2020
An application for termination of the S.C.O.P.E. Inc. Enterprise Agreement 2011 (s.222 – application for approval of a termination of an enterprise agreement) will be ruled upon by Commissioner Booth in chambers in Brisbane.
July 15, 2020
Bourke Aboriginal Health Service Ltd has a s.394 (application for unfair dismissal remedy) to defend in front of Commissioner McKenna (by telephone) in Sydney (Driscoll).
July 15, 2020
Wesley Community Services Limited has a s.372 (application to deal with other contravention disputes) with which to deal before Vice President Catanzariti by telephone in Sydney (Duffy).
July 15, 2020
The United Workers’ Union and the Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (Q.) have a s.739 (application to deal with a dispute) on foot before Commissioner Simpson in chambers in Brisbane.
July 15, 2020
An elderly man has been hospitalised after being tasered by police while an inpatient at the McKellar Centre. Barwon Health’s Chief Medical Officer will probe the “serious incident” following grave concerns raised by the man’s family. The 74-year-old man, who suffers vascular dementia, was reportedly self-harming in his bed with a utensil around 6pm Saturday night and sustained serious injuries. Victoria Police spokeswoman Nikki Ladgrove said officers were called to the North Geelong facility to assist staff when the taser was deployed. “Officers attended the Ballarat Road facility just after 6pm where a man was located with serious injuries and in possession of a weapon,” Ms Ladgrove said. “After unsuccessfully negotiating with the man, officers discharged a conducted energy device.” The man’s wife Jackie Hayes said her husband had a broken leg at the time of the incident and had only been at the McKellar Centre for three days after spending eight weeks in hospital following surgery. Mrs Hayes said her husband could become agitated due to his dementia but was supposed to be under 24 hour guard. “Surely they could’ve found a better way,” Mrs Hayes said.
July 15, 2020
Police will allege a 32-year-old woman due in court today to face a murder charge ran down the man she was caring for as he sat in his mobility scooter. Detectives had been investigating the man’s death which happened on Monday night in South Hedland. Police say the 34-year-old man was found about 10pm on Kennedy Street, following a traffic collision in which he was seriously injured. Police will allege the woman allegedly ran the man over in a car while he was in his mobility scooter. The man and woman were in a de-facto relationship. She was also his carer. Yesterday, Homicide Squad detectives charged the woman from South Hedland with murder. She was refused bail and is due to appear in the South Hedland Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
July 15, 2020
Over at the NDIA, Stephen Broadfoot has been promoted to the role of branch manager, payments, while Victoria Stevens has been named branch manager, access and workload management.
