Marc Alexander said before the Parole Board hearing in Christchurch yesterday that Paul David Bailey, who was convicted of killing 15 year old Kylie Smith in 1991 should never be released.

It was only eleven years ago that Bailey, armed with a 22 rifle, forced Kylie Smith into his car and drove to a reserve where he raped her, and then shot her in the back of the head. He was on bail at the time for the attempted rape of a woman at knifepoint.

Bailey was given thirteen years for rape and a life sentence for Kylie's murder. In less time than was handed down as a penalty for either of the crimes, he came up for his second parole application. As I listened to yesterday’s testimony from Kylie's parents, Bevan and Dawn, I could not help but be moved by their tragic loss. It seems to me that there is something fundamentally wrong with a system that places the interests of the offender ahead of that of the victim and their family. Bailey is still a young man who, if he were released, could be capable of re-offending. Given that no parole board could guarantee that Bailey would be a law-abiding citizen either now or in the future, there is every reason to keep him where he is and allow a small measure of comfort to Kylie’s parents.

Having to front up to the Parole Board last year and again this year has obviously taken its toll on the family, forcing them to live their nightmare all over again.

As I listened to the Parole Board I was heartened by their deliberations and was quietly confident that they will deliver the best possible decision available to them. I was pleased to have been accompanied to the hearing by Sue Williams, a Sensible Sentencing Trustee, and Cr. Norm Withers and friends of the family who gave their support to Bevan and Dawn Smith.

The bottom line is that Bailey does not deserve to go free now, or ever. The consequences of this horrific crime haunt the Smith family daily. Their lives have been torn apart and they live with the anguish of the loss of an innocent and beloved family member for the rest of their lives. Nothing can ever diminish that.

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