Court order didn't stop Vic teen killer

A man who killed a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Melbourne was subject to a supervision order at the time, newly released court documents show.

Sean Christian Price was under a strict supervision order at the time he murdered Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic.

He was also on bail when he killed the 17-year-old in March and raped another woman.

Documents released to media on Monday show Price was dealt a 10-year supervision order in May 2012.

Judge Roy Punshon issued the order after finding Price posed an "unacceptable risk" of potentially grave offending without one.

The order was made 10 days before Price was due for release from custody.

He was serving time for assaulting a psychologist while on parole for "serious and frightening" sex attacks.

The order meant Price had to comply with a string of conditions, including monitoring, sex offender treatment and testing for alcohol and drugs.

He was not allowed to work in jobs that involved going to people's homes, and could not leave his unit at the Corella Place transitional facility at night.

Price tried unsuccessfully to argue against the order, telling the judge he knew himself "better than these psychologists or experts say they know me".

About six months after the order was issued, Price went on a destructive rampage at Corella Place that was triggered because he couldn't use the gym.

The violent outburst led Price to be sentenced to three years in jail, with a non-parole period of two years.

But Judge Lisa Hannan cut the sentence to 10 months on appeal, after considering a neuropsychological report and his guilty plea.

The report showed mental impairment was linked to Price's offending, and that meant his moral culpability was to be reduced.

If Price had served his maximum three-year sentence, he would not have been free to murder Ms Vukotic.

Price had been hospitalised for long periods because of recurring psychotic symptoms.

He had a troubled upbringing that involved spending time in care. He was abused by a family member as a child and turned to marijuana and amphetamines.

Five months after being released from prison last October, Price left his unit in Albion and spent the day riding trains until he ended up at the Doncaster reserve where he killed Ms Vukotic while she was on her regular evening walk.

The 31-year-old, who has pleaded guilty to murder as well as rape, theft and the attempted theft of a BMW, will face a pre-sentence hearing in December.


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Source: AAP


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