CHILD killer Kathleen Folbigg's last hope of overturning convictions for the killing of her four babies has failed after NSW Governor Margaret Beazley accepted the findings of an inquiry that Folbigg was guilty of the crimes.
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NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said Governor Beazley on August 7 accepted Executive Council advice that no further action be taken, after an inquiry final report on July 22 said new evidence reinforced her guilt. The Executive Council included at least two Cabinet ministers.
Former NSW District Court Chief Judge Reg Blanch said he did not have "any reasonable doubt" about Folbigg's guilt for the manslaughter of her first child, Caleb, in 1989 and murdering babies Patrick, Sarah and Laura at Singleton over a decade.
The inquiry in April and May followed a University of Newcastle Legal Centre petition to the then NSW Governor David Hurley in 2015 after investigations raising doubt about evidence used to convict her of the crimes in 2003.
Her lawyers are understood to have written to Governor Beazley, a former president of the NSW Court of Appeal, after Mr Blanch completed his final report which was sent to the new Governor.
Under the NSW Crimes Appeal and Review Act a NSW Governor receiving a report following a petition "may then dispose of the matter in such manner as to the Governor appears just".
In a statement on Monday Mr Speakman said Governor Beazley accepted the Executive Council's advice which was "consistent with the findings of the inquirer, the Hon Reginald Blanch, AM, QC".
"Ms Folbigg will continue to serve her sentence of 30 years imprisonment. She will be first eligible to apply for parole in 2028 at the end of her non-parole period," Mr Speakman said.
After releasing the final report Mr Speakman said he was sorry for the toll it had taken on Folbigg's former husband, Craig, and other family members.
"I acknowledge that the decision to commence an inquiry has further aggravated what already was an unimaginable tragedy," he said.
"I hope that the conclusion of the inquiry, and the report's findings, might provide comfort in some way to the relatives of Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura, and will dispel community concern regarding Folbigg's convictions."
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