Release serial killer Birnie: Percy

RELEASE HER: Top QC Tom Percy says serial killer Catherine Birnie has become a "church mouse'' in prison and should be released. Source: PerthNow

REVILED West Australian serial killer Catherine Birnie has become a ``church mouse'' working in a prison library and should be released from jail, one of the state's high-profile lawyers says.

Earlier this week, WA Attorney-General Michael Mischin accepted a recommendation from the state's Prisoners Review Board and kept Birnie behind bars for a further three years.

Birnie, and her partner in crime David, were jailed for 20 years for raping, stabbing, strangling and clubbing to death four victims in their Willagee house, in Perth's southern suburbs, in 1986.

They were caught when a fifth intended victim, a 16-year-old girl, escaped after being abducted at knifepoint.

Under law, Birnie's life sentence is reviewed every three years, and her latest review was turned down in January.

But high-profile QC Tom Percy, an STM columnist,  says the notorious killer, now 61, is unlikely to be a risk to the community and should be freed from Bandyup Women's Prison.

``She has been there 30-odd years and you would think it might be time for us to say she has done her time, she has done her statutory minimum prescribed by the court, which was in possession of all the facts,'' Mr Percy said.

``I am not sure she could really be a threat to anyone any more, and all my information from Bandyup prison is that she is a little old granny that goes about her work in the library like a church mouse.

``You can't think there is any point in keeping her in there.''

In March 2010, former attorney-general Christian Porter decided Birnie would not be given parole or put into a re-socialisation program.

WA's attorney-general in 2007, Jim McGinty, said Birnie should never be freed.

A 2007 review found a low risk of Birnie reoffending but her release was rejected because of the extreme nature of her crimes.

The pair were handed strict security life sentences for the murders. While incarcerated they exchanged more than 2600 letters, but were not allowed any other form of contact.

When David Birnie hanged himself in his protective custody Casuarina Prison cell in 2005, she wasn't allowed to attend his funeral.

Birnie's next statutory parole review will be in 2016, but Mr Percy feared she would never be released.

``We parole all sorts of murderers on a daily basis,'' Mr Percy told 6PR radio.

``This one just so happened to be one that caught the public attention, even though she was not the prime mover in it. He (David) is now dead.

``What's the point of keeping her in there? Sadly it looks like she will never get parole, but I think she probably deserves it.''
 

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Killer Mansell 'wasting time' in court

News Images of Cameron Mansell Supplied by Cameron Mansell from Jail (Criag Puddy murder) A scan of the note too. Source: PerthNow

CONVICTED murderer Cameron Mansell is "wasting time'' with unsuccessful court applications when he should be focusing on his appeal next week, a West Australian Supreme Court judge says.

Mansell was sentenced to life in prison with an 18-year minimum in November 2011 after a jury found him guilty of murdering Perth multi-millionaire Craig Puddy, 45, who went missing in May 2010.

Mansell has made several interlocutory applications to the Court of Appeal, including three new applications that were rejected today.

"The appellant is wasting time by bringing meritless interlocutory applications, time which could be spent on preparation for the appeal,'' Justice Christopher Pullin said.

The first application was that the guilty verdict be set aside because the state had not complied with statutory requirements, rendering some exhibits inadmissible and breaching part of the disclosure process regarding witnesses not called to testify. Justice Pullin said he would treat it as an application for leave to amend the grounds of appeal, but noted it should be dismissed because the points had previously been raised in another ground that was rejected.

The second application related to discs containing media reports about the case to be submitted into evidence with the word 'Mansell' used 349 times, the words 'murder' or 'killed' used 99 times, and 'Puddy' used 153 times.

He argued the articles would have left a "lasting imprint'' in jury members' psyche, thus influencing their decision-making process.

Mansell claimed the evidence was relevant to two grounds of his appeal, but Justice Pullin dismissed the notion.
The third application was to vacate the date for the appeal hearing, which is due to begin next Wednesday.

Mansell claimed there were "obstructions'' to his preparation because he was in custody, but Justice Pullin rejected the assertion.

Mansell, who worked at a bar part-owned by Mr Puddy, has denied killing his employer after he was confronted about stealing money.

During his trial, Mansell's lawyers argued he was at Mr Puddy's home when three thugs entered and killed Mr Puddy over a drug debt, and then framed Mansell for the murder.

After an eight-week trial, a jury found Mansell guilty of murder.

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