Mohammed Skaf Determination Granting Parole in Best Interests of Community Safety

17 September 2021

Community safety is best protected by supervising Mohammed Skaf on parole while he is under stringent conditions and 24/7 electronic monitoring by authorities, the State Parole Authority has concluded.

Handing down its decision today, the SPA said it has no legislative power to keep Skaf in prison beyond his sentence and his inevitable release must be supervised.

Freeing Skaf at the end of his full 23-year sentence without extensive monitoring and conditions, would pose an unacceptable risk.

Intensive supervision for the last two years and two months of his parole period is the safest pathway for reintegration and the only sensible option, the SPA determined.

“This is the only opportunity to supervise a safe transition into the community in the small window of time that we have left,” SPA Chairman David Frearson, SC said.

“Release without structure or supervision makes little sense for community protection.”

Skaf will be released from custody on a date not earlier than 1 October 2021 and not later than 8 October 2021. **

The Authority acknowledges the distress the parole decision may cause his victims and the wider community.

Careful consideration has been given to the difficult task of reintegrating him into the community.

Skaf’s parole conditions will include Mandatory Electronic Monitoring with daily schedules, compliance with ongoing psychological intervention, a ban on any form of contact with his victims; a ban on contact with any co-offenders, as well as exclusion zone orders for the LGAs of Liverpool, Fairfield, Blacktown and Parramatta.

Before making its decision, the SPA considered the unanimous expert advice of the Serious Offenders Review Council, Community Corrections and the latest Submission on behalf of the State.

All three expert bodies supported a period of supervision on parole.

The Serious Offenders Review Council advised parole is now “appropriate” as “further time in custody would not appear to be useful in relation to his re-integration”.

Community Corrections pre-release reports recommending parole, confirmed there had been a “significant improvement” in Skaf’s behavior and attitude towards his offending.

They also confirmed he has successfully completed all required programs in custody.

Skaf has been eligible for parole since 2018 and has served three and a half years beyond his first possible release date.

 

Now 38, he has been in custody for 20 years and 10 months of his maximum sentence of 22 years 11 months and 30 days.

His parole order will apply until his sentence expires 1 January 2024.

Any breach of conditions will result in a return to custody.

FULL LIST OF PAROLE CONDITIONS:

MANDATORY ELECTRONIC MONITORING with schedules

While your parole is supervised you are subject to mandatory electronic monitoring:

a) You must submit a schedule of proposed activities to a community corrections officer for approval if directed to do so by the officer.

b) You must submit to electronic monitoring.

c) You must comply with all reasonable directions from a community corrections officer or electronic monitoring officer about electronic monitoring.

d) You must not remove, tamper with, damage or disable your electronic monitoring equipment.

 

STANDARD CONDITIONS 1-11

While you are on parole:     

1.      You must be of good behaviour.

2.      You must not commit any offences.

3.      You must adapt to normal lawful community life.

When you are first released on parole:

4.      You must report:

a)    to a community corrections officer at a time and place directed, or

b)    if you have not been given a direction, to a Community Corrections office within 7 days of your release.

While your parole is supervised:

5.      You must report to a community corrections officer at the times and places directed by the officer.

6.      You must comply with all reasonable directions from a community corrections officer about:

a)    the place where you will live

b)    participating in programs, treatment, interventions or other related activities

c)     participating in employment, education, training or other related activities

d)    not undertaking specified employment, education, training, volunteer, leisure or other activities

e)    not associating with specified people

f)      not visiting or frequenting specified places or areas

g)    ceasing drug use

h)    ceasing or reducing alcohol use

i)      drug and alcohol testing

j)      monitoring your compliance with the parole order

k)     giving consent to third parties to provide information to the officer that is relevant to your compliance with the parole order.

7.      You must comply with any other reasonable directions from a community corrections officer.

8.      You must permit a community corrections officer to visit you at the place where you live at any time and permit the officer to enter the premises when they visit you.

9.      You must notify a community corrections officer if you change your address, contact details or employment. You must do this before the change occurs if practicable, or within 7 days of the change occurring.

10.   You must not leave New South Wales without permission from a community corrections manager.

11.   You must not leave Australia without permission from the State Parole Authority.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS:

19. You must if so directed by your Officer, participate in the following intervention, Forensic Psychology Services Maintenance.

24. You must not contact, communicate with, watch, stalk or harass the victim

27. You must comply with all conditions and requirements of the Child Protection Register.

28. You must not contact, communicate or associate with your co-offender/s, without the express prior approval of your Officer.

30. You must not frequent or visit the Local Government Areas of Liverpool, Fairfield, Blacktown and Parramatta

Read the SPA’s determination here:

http://www.paroleauthority.nsw.gov.au/Documents/SKAF%20Mohammed%20-%20Determination%20in%20the%20application%20for%20parole.pdf

 

** (A date range is given for Skaf’s release because under the legislation, the SPA’s order must apply no earlier than 14 days after publishing its decision)

 

 

Media inquiries: Dani Ongaro 0418203950 or media.SPA@justice.nsw.gov.au