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Premier says Vic bail system needs fixing

Premier Daniel Andrews says the state's bail system needs fixing after it emerged Sean Price was on bail when he killed a Melbourne teenager.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews
Premier Daniel Andrews. (AAP) Source: AAP

Premier Daniel Andrews says Victoria's bail system is broken and needs to change after it emerged Sean Christian Price was on bail when he randomly killed Masa Vukotic and raped another woman.

Mr Andrews said after Price's arrest in March, a specially-ordered bed check of the state's 55 bailed sex offenders returned two into custody for breaching conditions.

"I am in no mood and I have no interest in defending a system that is broken," Mr Andrews told 3AW radio on Friday.

"It needs to change. We have got the balance wrong."

Price on Thursday admitted he raped another woman two days after his random, frenzied attack on 17-year-old Ms Vukotic on March 17.

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He had been released on bail five months earlier after reportedly being charged with threatening to kill prison guards.

The 31-year-old, who will face a pre-sentence hearing in December, has already been incarcerated for "serious and frightening" offences.

Rape, threatening to kill children and random sexual attacks against women are part of the long list of offences Price admitted to in 2004, when he was just 20.

While in custody at the secure psychiatric Thomas Embling Hospital he punched then-health minister Tony Abbott in the face.

Years later he was jailed again for a violent outburst in which he smashed 18 cars and caused more than $13,000 damage to a government building because he was told he couldn't use a gym.

The very first time the murderer and rapist came before the courts, Victorian County Court Judge John Barnett said the accumulative nature of his offending was extremely serious.

"They are all serious and frightening offences," Judge Barnett said in 2004.

"There is a real need to protect the public by restricting your freedom until at least your schizophrenic illness can be brought under control."

Price had previously been admitted to hospital after becoming acutely psychotic.

He'd had a troubled upbringing, having spent time in care and was abused by a family member as a child, before turning to marijuana and amphetamines.

Price's life of crime started when he randomly attacked a 21-year-old video store attendant, putting his hand under her skirt.

He also indecently assaulted a 45-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl, and punched a mother of two after forcing his way into her house, sexually assaulting her in front of her children after threatening to kill them.

Judge Barnett said Price's behaviour was brazen, impulsive and extremely frightening.

Following the violent dispute with staff at the Corella Place transitional facility Price was jailed for three years for criminal damage and assault, but this was reduced to 10 months on appeal.


3 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP


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