UPDATE: The legal fight for convicted murderer Susan Neill-Fraser is escalating as her team demands access to crucial documents in her ongoing challenge against restrictive parole conditions. Neill-Fraser, who served 13 years for the 2009 murder of her partner Bob Chappell in Hobart, is seeking to lift a ban that prevents her from speaking to the media about her case.
In a developing story, Neill-Fraser’s legal team argues that the current conditions, imposed to protect the Chappell family from further distress, violate her constitutional right to communicate politically. This urgent legal battle comes after she was released on parole in 2022, and now she claims the restrictions hinder her ability to assert her innocence.
During a court session in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, her lawyer Hannah Canham requested access to documents that the parole board reviewed when setting the conditions. “Ordinarily, these should be provided,” Canham stated, emphasizing the need for transparency in the legal process.
However, Simon Gates, representing the Parole Board, countered that the requested documents, including text messages, may not be relevant to the appeal. The judge, Acting Justice Michael Daly, acknowledged the unusualness of proceeding without these documents and ordered both parties to submit further arguments by mid-November. A date for the substantive hearing remains unset.
Supporters of Neill-Fraser, including Rosie Crumpton-Crook, head of a support group, have publicly expressed frustration over the restrictions, stating that Neill-Fraser feels “gagged” and overwhelmed by the prolonged legal battle. Crumpton-Crook highlighted that the lengthy process has taken a toll on Neill-Fraser, who has consistently maintained her innocence.
Neill-Fraser was sentenced to 23 years in prison after a judge declared he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt of her guilt in the murder of Chappell on their yacht. The case has garnered significant public interest, with calls from her daughter Sarah Bowles and politician Andrew Wilkie for an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction.
As this urgent legal situation unfolds, many are closely watching how it will impact Neill-Fraser’s future and the broader implications for parole conditions in Australia. Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
