Australia’s youngest-ever murderer who killed a three-year-old girl could be back in the community within days.
SLD was 13-years-old when he murdered toddler Courtney Morley-Clarke in January 2001 on the NSW Central Coast, now has lifetime anonymity preventing the public from linking him to his horrific crime.
After serving a 20 year sentence, SLD was briefly released in Wollongong NSW in September 2023 before swiftly being returned to custody for breaching his conditions.
But with the current interim detention order ending this Saturday, the 37-year-old’s bid for freedom will be heard in NSW Supreme Court with a verdict expected on Wednesday.
Justice Mark Ierace noted that the situation was out of the ordinary.
‘It goes without saying this is a very challenging case, he has been out only in the community for four months since he was only 13-years-old,’ he said.
It’s understood Justice Ierace has the option of imposing the continuing detention order, which would see SLD remain behind bars for another 12 months, or granting an extended supervision order.
Should SLD be granted an extended supervision order, he will be able to visit libraries and supermarkets three times a week in a bid to make new friends and connections in the area.
Courtney Morley-Clarke was just three-years-old when she was murdered
The recommendations presented to the court from the NSW Department of Corrections also endorsed overnight release from jail in a matter of months.
The multi-disciplinary team, which is made up of Corrections Services officers, psychologists and police, suggested that SLD would initially be accompanied by two plain clothed correction officers.
However, the court heard the officers would, ‘most likely,’ only be available to chaperone the inmate for a period of four weeks.
SLD would then quickly move through different stages of his path to freedom from joining social clubs, volunteering at a charity and weekend release before eventually being left to his own devises.
Community Corrections intensive rehabilitation director, Sharryn Coe, told the court that the aim was for the violent offender to ‘develop his social skills and interact with the community.’
However, SLD has previously admitted that he would be prepared to kill again if something ‘big,’ took place adding ‘If I kill someone it wont be a child.’
His frightening confession and string of violent offences, which include choking a nurse during his incarceration are all being considered by Justice Ierace who will determine when and how SLD walks free.
After SLD was last released in September 2023, he was back behind bars after just a few weeks later after he was caught out approaching women with young children at Bulli Beach in Wollongong, NSW claiming he wanted a date.
SLD breached his parole by approaching mothers with children at Bulli Beach (pictured) near Wollongong
He was also found to be accessing pornography online and psychologists warned he had become obsessed with losing his virginity after growing up in jail.
SLD had been adopted at the age of four by a family in Point Clare on the Central Coast, but his murder trial heard he remained ‘disturbed’ despite his new home.
At age 13 years and 10 months, he snatched Courtney from her bed in the middle of the night and stabbed her through the heart before leaving her body in long grass 300m from her home.
He was caught after it was noticed that he had gone missing from his home on the morning the three-year-old vanished.
He initially lied about the crime, leading police on a wild goose chase before later admitting he killed her.
Psychiatric assessments of the teen determined he’d never become a functioning social adult.
He was sentenced in August 2002 to 20 years behind bars but was first released in September 2023.
Just weeks later, he was re-arrested for breaching the terms of his release when he spoke to three women with children.
On October 25, SLD went to Bulli Beach near Wollongong with a supervisor and was spotted by an off-duty prison officer who noticed his electronic monitoring anklet.
The officer witnessed SLD approach a woman with a young girl, and then approach another mother washing an infant at the beach showers.
Both women picked up their children and walked away from SLD.
The convicted killer tried to access the internet and dating sites when he was initially released in 2023 (stock image)
He then entered the Bulli Beach Café and struck up a conversation with a woman feeding an infant.
He allegedly said to the woman: ‘I just got out of jail. Do you come here often?’, followed by: ‘I’ve only been here twice.’
Police came and arrested SLD, who told Wollongong Local Court the next day the encounters were ‘incidental’.
SLD was found guilty of one count of failing to comply with an extended supervision order, which barred him from having contact with children.
He had also tried to access the internet, dating sites and encrypted chat apps.
Authorities believe SLD is a high risk of re-offending because of his obsession with finding a girlfriend to start a sexual relationship after being locked up behind bars for more than 20 years
During the hearing psychiatrists noted it’s the killer, who is fixated with getting revenge for perceived wrongs, could act violently if he felt he was unfairly treated.
However they also agree that keeping him incarcerated would be detrimental to his mental health and ability to assimilate into the community at a later date.
