Snowtown killer would 'likely' be jailed again if he failed drug test
The youngest of the "bodies-in-the-barrels" serial killers, James Spyridon Vlassakis, would be subject to conditions while on parole, including restricted movement and random drug testing, SA's Parole Board chair says.
An attempt by the South Australian government to prevent the release of notorious serial killer James Spyridon Vlassakis was unsuccessful this week. The Parole Board chair, Frances Nelson KC, confirmed that Vlassakis will remain in prison but will be transferred to the Adelaide Pre-release Centre. Nelson elaborated on the conditions of Vlassakis' parole, stating that his movements would be restricted.
If Vlassakis fails a drug or alcohol test while on parole, he would likely return to prison, according to the Parole Board chair. A decision to release Vlassakis was upheld by the SA government, rejecting the earlier attempt by the government to block his parole. Vlassakis was 18 when he participated in the murder of his half-brother Troy Youde in 1998 and later pleaded guilty to four of the Snowtown killings.
He received a life sentence with a 26-year non-parole period due to his assistance to authorities. The Parole Board chair mentioned that Vlassakis would be subject to random drug testing during his parole, and acknowledged that he tested positive to drugs multiple times in jail. However, she noted that Vlassakis currently does not appear to have a drug problem.
Vlassakis will be subject to several standard conditions of parole, including a curfew, weekly reporting to a community corrections officer, and restrictions on leaving the state, contacting the victims' families, and visiting certain geographical areas.
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