Kingsley Pickett wins release decades after killing WA mother and son
One of WA's worst repeat offenders, whose crimes include killing a pregnant woman and her young son, is set to be released after spending decades behind bars. Kingsley Pickett will be subject to dozens of strict conditions, which a Supreme Court judge says should reduce the risk of him reoffending.
Transcript
00:00 It was a crime that caused community outrage. The deaths of 22-year-old Margaret Blurton,
00:07 who was pregnant, and her one-year-old son Shane. Her husband Peter was also seriously
00:12 injured. The family was driving home on Christmas night. Their car was hit by a stolen vehicle
00:18 being chased by police.
00:19 I think about them every day. It never goes away. But yeah, we move forward, you get stronger.
00:29 The person responsible was Kingsley Pickett. He pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter,
00:35 but it would not be his last conviction. His dozens of crimes included raping a woman after
00:39 he broke into her home. Pickett was again jailed, but before he was released, he was
00:45 declared a high-risk serious offender and detained indefinitely.
00:49 His case has been regularly reviewed, and now after decades in custody, a Supreme Court
00:54 judge has ruled he can be released on a strict supervision order. It will have 45 conditions,
01:00 including being constantly electronically monitored, keeping a daily diary, reporting
01:06 regularly to police, abiding by a curfew, and being banned from using illicit drugs
01:11 and alcohol. Justice Anthony Derrick said he was satisfied that the proposed conditions
01:16 are sufficiently extensive and stringent to enable the adequate management of the risk
01:21 Pickett currently presents to the community.
01:24 Whilst he's being released under a supervision order, he hasn't really proven that he in
01:30 any way regrets any of the crimes that he's committed, or really understands the impact
01:37 that any of those crimes ever had. And so realistically, did they just release a time
01:44 bomb back into the community?
01:45 The release order will take effect next month, when Pickett is expected to have his first
01:50 taste of freedom in more than 25 years.
01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]